States redistribute hundreds of thousands of vaccine doses unused by nursing homes

The additional doses come at a time when state officials say demand is far outstripping supply as the slow and often-chaotic vaccine rollout enters its second month.

“This latest step by the federal government — to work with states to transfer doses back to the general state supply — should help to alleviate a barrier many have complained about,” said Jennifer Kates, a senior vice president at the Kaiser Family Foundation. “It’s understandable that some recalibration would be needed. But, at two months into the rollout, they hopefully can pivot quickly, given the stakes.”

When the vaccine began rolling out last month, states could sign up to have CVS and Walgreens inoculate residents and staff members in long-term-care facilities. Every state except West Virginia chose the program, overseen by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Doses were sent directly to the pharmacy chains, which coordinated with the facilities to schedule vaccinations. The doses were counted as part of the state’s allotment.

But they were allocated by the number of beds, not the actual number of residents, in each facility, leading to the provision of more than needed. Workers in long-term-care homes also turned out to be far less willing than expected to be vaccinated, adding to the surplus. Still more became available when people administering the vaccine found they could get six doses out of each vial of Pfizer’s product, rather than five.

The CDC is working with 32 jurisdictions on a case-by-case basis to “transfer doses back from pharmacy partners when there is an excess,” said spokeswoman Kristen Nordlund. She declined to say how many total doses are being redirected. ...