The U.S. shattered case records, hospitalizations and deaths this week, with experts warning conditions could get worse. The country reported nearly 250,000 cases and 3,500 deaths in a single day on Wednesday. Hospitalizations, meanwhile, continue to climb. As of Friday, more than 114,000 people are hospitalized with COVID-19.
Health experts largely expected such an increase following reports of busy airports during Thanksgiving. Another surge is expected post-Christmas if travel increases again.
The record numbers have cast a harsh light on the uncoordinated federal response to curb the spread of the virus — resulting in uneven, politically-informed rather than health-based, decisions at the state level.
Many health experts have criticized the government’s focus and spend on vaccines, rather than on testing and other strategies.
Vaccine drama
Even the vaccine rollout has not been without its problems. Pfizer (PFE) and Moderna (MRNA) have both seen bumpy starts to production that will affect the real-time deliveries, though overall estimates of 20 million doses per company to delivered by the end of 2020 remain.
Moderna reportedly had to dump the equivalent of 400,000 doses of its vaccine which were not yet placed in vials. It is not yet known how this will impact future deliveries.
Pfizer, which began delivery this week, has a more confusing problem that appears to be the result of communication gaps.
The issue began when states reported being informed they would receive fewer doses next week — which some administration officials said was a result of a change to an earlier date of the update for allocations. U.S. Health Sec. Alex Azar noted this change at an Operation Warp Speed update this week, noting states would get updates on Tuesday rather than Friday nights.
Another report clarified that the reduction in numbers was based on the fact that subsequent shipments were not equivalent to the initial batch and states had already been notified at the start of the month.
Previously known
Meanwhile, Pfizer had previously noted in a November 20 statement that it would provide 50 million doses, or half the original amount, in 2020. That did not affect what was slated to be sent out to states this year.
In an Operation Warp Speed (OWS) briefing this month, officials noted that of an initial allotment of about 6 million doses, 2.9 million would be shipped for first doses, another 2.9 million would be shipped for second doses, and 500,000 would be kept in reserve. Meanwhile, officials said negotiations were ongoing to purchase additional doses, after reports the government turned down opportunities to do so during the summer. OWS adviser Moncef Slaoui said the government chose not to because it was not yet known which company would emerge successfully from trials.
Azar said Wednesday the reason the government had not purchased any was because Pfizer had not been able to commit to delivery by a certain date, and now that the company has identified production challenges, the government is working with the company on how to move forward.
But state governors saying they were notified of cuts to delivery amounts prompted significant confusion Thursday.
Pfizer issued a statement saying that nothing had changed on its end.
“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 shipment instructions for additional doses,” the company said.
Meanwhile, Vice President Mike Pence and Surgeon General Jerome Adams received Pfizer’s shot Friday morning live on air. The public inoculations are part of the federal government’s attempt to boost vaccine confidence.
More from Anjalee:
Fauci: Vaccines will only prevent symptoms, not block the virus
Biden COVID-19 adviser: Vaccine news is great, but we still have a ways to go
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