Why the delay in vaccination distribution?

1-13-2021

Editor’s Note: This letter was submitted Dec. 30. Some of the numbers for vaccine doses and vaccines administered have changed since then. But based on the current gap between doses delivered and doses administered, the letter is still germane.

Here are the facts I see about the coronavirus vaccine in our state, via the internet news, current to today.

1) The state of Utah is said to have received better than 100,000 doses already.

2) The cumulative total number of shots given as of yesterday was said to be about 17,000 and today 20,000.

Thus the current rate of jab-giving is a mere 3,000 with some 80,000 doses standing by.

This begs several questions. Most importantly, why are we not set up to administer as many shots as come available? People like us are being hermits standing by for relief from this situation, and the shots are there to be had, but nobody is giving them fast enough.

In fact, at the current rate of 3,000 per day, our population of some 3 million will require 1,000 days or three years! This is totally unacceptable. Those next 80,000 doses should be in folks’ arms in a few days with the next lot ready for administration immediately.

Who is responsible for this delay and farcical and tragic slow-up? Who can light a fire under those people and get us our shots? The seeming lack of coordination and communication is most exasperating. Let’s get the powers that be to shake a leg or 2021 will be just another 2020…..aarrgghh.

Don White,

Manti