White House hikes states' coronavirus vaccine shipments, ensures some go to rural community health centers

In an effort to make sure under-served and rural areas get their fair share, "The Biden administration will boost the number of Covid-19 vaccines distributed to states next week to 11 million doses and begin allocating a portion of the weekly shipments directly to community health centers," Andrea Noble reports for Route Fifty. "At least one federally qualified community health center in each state will begin receiving allocations of the vaccine next week, and the goal for the initial phase of the project is to distribute 1 million vaccines to 250 centers, said Marcella Nunez-Smith, the head of the administration’s Health Equity Task Force."

The health centers serve about 30 people nationwide, two-thirds of whom live at or below the federal poverty line. Patients include homeless people, people who live in public housing, and migrant farm workers, Noble reports.

"The White House has sought to increase the number of vaccines shipped to states each week, from 8.6 million doses during President Biden’s first week in office to 11 million doses next week," Noble reports. "In addition to setting aside allotments of vaccine for community health centers, the federal government will also set aside 1 million doses of vaccine for pharmacies participating in the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program—a previously announced public-private partnership with 21 national pharmacy chains."