US struggles to turn donated Covid-19 vaccines into vaccinations amid nations’ logistics trouble
- Washington has donated and shipped 437 million doses abroad so far, but recipients are grappling with challenges, including storing them at ultra-cold temperatures
- Vaccine equity advocates have called on the West to loosen patent restrictions and smooth logistical barriers in developing nations
“There have been moments, yes, where countries are not able to receive the doses that we’re able to provide,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said at a briefing on Tuesday. She didn’t identify the countries.
The US has donated and shipped 437 million doses abroad so far, more than any other nation, and pledged a total of at least 1.2 billion. President Biden held a virtual summit in September to muster a more coordinated global response, though advocates say that’s still lacking.
“A big part of our effort right now, and where we have seen challenge, is turning vaccines into vaccination, which means working closely with our partners on the ground and dealing with hyperlocal issues countries may be facing,” Psaki said.
Her statement is the latest in a series of signals that vaccine supply alone is no longer the chief problem. Instead, shot-starved developing nations are grappling with other challenges, like how to get vaccines to where they’re needed, obtaining supplies to administer them, storing them at ultra-cold temperatures when necessary and easing reluctance among their populations.