CDC Cuts Vaccine Shipments In Washington By 40% Next Week

SEATTLE — Washington's vaccine deliveries will be cut by 40 percent next week, in a move that prompted swift criticism from Gov. Jay Inslee. The governor said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention informed Washington and other states of the cuts on Thursday without explaining why.

"This is disruptive and frustrating," Inslee tweeted. "We need accurate, predictable numbers to plan and ensure on-the-ground success."

The state Department of Health had expected 74,100 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine next week and 85,800 doses the week of Dec. 29.

"It’s 40 percent less than we were originally thinking," Washington State Health Secretary John Wiesman told the Washington Post on Thursday. "We thought we were getting 74,100 and now we are planning for 44,850 doses."

In a news release, Pfizer said a lack of instructions from the federal government, rather than a bottleneck on the company's end, was to blame.

"Pfizer is not having any production issues with our COVID-19 vaccine, and no shipments containing the vaccine are on hold or delayed. This week, we successfully shipped all 2.9 million doses that we were asked to ship by the U.S. Government to the locations specified by them. We have millions more doses sitting in our warehouse but, as of now, we have not received any shipping instructions for additional doses."

Washington is still on-track to receive 62,400 vaccines by the end of this week and had achieved roughly half that total by Wednesday, the state said.

The initial shipments are being delivered to 39 facilities in 39 counties. At least 410 doses were administered across the state by mid-week. The first group eligible to receive coronavirus vaccines includes frontline health care workers, high-risk first responders, and residents and staff of long-term care facilities.

State health leaders had been promised 222,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine by the end of December, and 183,800 doses of a Moderna vaccine, pending final approvals. It was not immediately clear whether the cuts next week would affect the total allotment for the month.

"Our state remains committed to getting all doses we are allocated out to healthcare providers and into the arms of Washingtonians," Inslee said. "While we push for answers, that commitment will not change."

Here's how many doses each county is expecting by the end of this week:

King: 17,550
Pierce: 5,850
Snohomish/Spokane/Clark: 3,900 each
Kitsap/Yakima/3 Tribes and Urban Indian Health Programs: 1,950 each
Asotin/Chelan & Douglas/Clallam/Grant/Grays Habor/Island/Jefferson/Kittitas/Klickitat/Lewis/Mason/Okanogan/Pacific/Skagit/Stevens & Ferry/Thurston/Walla Walla/Whatcom/Whitman: 975 each
One long-term care facility: 975

According to the state Department of Health, 280 clinics, pharmacies and hospitals in 37 counties are fully-enrolled in Washington's vaccine distribution program.

The Pfizer vaccine requires two doses spaced about three weeks apart to reach maximum effectiveness. State officials said each patient will get a record card after their first dose, telling them when to return for the second round.

The DOH is targeting mid-January to complete vaccinations for the first group, called phase 1a. A final plan on what populations can receive the vaccine next is still in the works. Since immunizing an adequate percentage of the general public is expected to take until the summer, state officials urge Washingtonians to continue COVID-19 safety precautions, including consistent mask use, avoiding traditional holiday gatherings and keeping indoor socializing to members of the immediate household.