The United States needs to do a better job with the launch of the Covid-19 vaccine, Deputy Secretary of Health Admiral Brett Giroir said on Wednesday.
“Of course, we need to do a better job, but all vaccination programs are starting somewhat slowly,” Giroir told CNN’s Jake Tapper.
He said the distribution is expected to increase soon and that the US is about to distribute 20 million doses of vaccine by the first week of January.
“I know we will distribute about 30 million more in January and potentially up to 50 million in February,” he said.
As pharmacies begin to play a greater role in administering vaccines, Giroir said he expects the pace to accelerate.
“We have a federal contract with 40,000 pharmacies – 60% of all pharmacies in the United States – to supply vaccines,” Giroir said. “The scale will grow very fast as things progress and evolve.”
“Shelf vaccines are not good,” he added. “They have to go into people’s arms and we don’t leave any stone unturned to do that.”
Some information: Operation Warp Speed is on track to reach at least 20 million vaccines that it has predicted will be delivered by the end of December.
Nearly 2.6 million doses of the vaccine have been administered in the United States, according to data provided by CNN by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.