Katko To FEMA, HHS, DOD: Accelerate Local COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout

WASHINGTON— U.S. Rep. John Katko (NY-24) today announced that he spoke directly with senior officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Department of Defense (DoD) to discuss accelerating Central New York’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution effort.

These agencies are tasked with coordinating with suppliers to procure, allocate, and distribute vaccines to states. Katko’s call comes one week after a virtual roundtable with local hospital administrators in which they expressed challenges with acquiring and distributing vaccinations.

In Central New York, demand for vaccines continues to outpace supply. Additionally, local hospital administrators have spoken to Katko about the limited notice they receive for incoming vaccines shipments, which hinders their ability to efficiently distribute the shots.

Currently, hospitals only receive a one or two day notice. As a result, they are forced to either cancel previously booked appointments or move quickly to schedule new appointments to prevent vaccines from spoiling. To accelerate Central New York’s vaccine rollout, Katko urged representatives from FEMA, HHS, and DoD to identify and execute a plan that would address supply shortages and provide consistent, long-term notice to states regarding vaccine allotment.

“Our hospitals continue to face a vaccine supply shortage, and now encounter new obstacles which hinder their ability to develop a schedule for distributing vaccines. To address these local concerns, I spoke directly with representatives from FEMA, HHS, and DoD. Each agency plays a critical role in procuring and distributing vaccines,” Katko said. “In an effort to accelerate our local vaccine rollout, I urged the officials to take steps to address supply and distribution issues and ensure Central New Yorkers are able to get vaccinations in a timely and efficient manner.”

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