Seventh District Democrat Abigail Spanberger is calling on the CDC to improve coordination with Virginia’s public health authorities to ensure an equitable and streamlined COVID-19 vaccine distribution effort.
In a letter sent to CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, Spanberger highlighted the logistical and data-tracking challenges facing Virginia health officials during the ongoing vaccine rollout, including varied eligibility requirements and appointment-making procedures.
In response, she called on the CDC to strengthen its data reporting with states and reduce the risks of redundancy and inefficiency.
Second District Democrat Elaine Luria also signed Spanberger’s letter.
“The varied eligibility requirements and appointment making procedures favor the technologically savvy and well-resourced who can navigate the different systems,” Spanberger and Luria said. “Retail pharmacy partners have been reluctant to coordinate their outreach and appointments with state public health officials’ priorities, meaning vulnerable individuals patiently waiting their turn according to health department guidelines could be passed over.”
“Additionally, information technology snafus have harmed reporting and information sharing with the states. Lags in information sharing between the different programs can lead to duplicate appointments, causing additional work for already overburdened public health officials and could lead to vaccine doses going to waste. Our state reports especially limited visibility into how federal agencies are distributing vaccines to their servicemembers, employees, or veterans in Virginia. It is imperative that the CDC and other federal agencies work to streamline data reporting and improve communication with the states to reduce the risks of redundancy and inefficiency.”
Click here to read the letter.
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Chris Graham
