Raimondo Claims Trump Short-Changed RI on Vaccine - 36% Decrease in Week Two

Raimondo Claims Trump Short-Changed RI on Vaccine - 36% Decrease in Week Two

Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo’s office said on Thursday that the state’s allocation of the Pfizer vaccine has been diminished by 36% in week two.

Raimondo is calling on the Trump administration to “honor its commitments” for vaccine delivery to the state.

The announcement comes after Rhode Island announced it began receiving vaccines this week -- and a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel on Thursday backed Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine.

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Raimondo Office on Record

Raimondo’s office sent out the following statement on Thursday afternoon 

“Yesterday, the Rhode Island Department of Health learned that the state’s allocation of the Pfizer vaccine for Week 2, beginning 12/21, was reduced from 10,725 to 6,825 doses. 

We have heard accounts of similar reductions in other states, and no clear explanation has been provided by Operation Warp Speed. 

We are calling on the Trump administration to honor its commitments and provide the full allocation to Rhode Island. 

In the meantime, we are continuing to distribute the vaccine as quickly as possible to our frontline healthcare workers, and we are evaluating the impact of these reductions on our vaccination planning.”

According to the Governor’s office, Dr. Philip Chan will provide a detailed vaccine update at Friday’s 1pm press briefing.