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NEW: A lot of focus on recent days on the gap between #CovidVaccine doses distributed, versus shots in arms.
Now, some evidence that the gap might look worse than it really is.
Now, some evidence that the gap might look worse than it really is.
For instance: Maine CDC Director @nirav_mainecdc tells me the % vaccine used statistic floating out there is "rife with misunderstanding and really needs to be scrapped." ( @bbgvisualdata tracker here: https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-vaccine-tracker-global-distribution/)
First of all, it's lumpy because of the delivery schedule. "On Monday, when we get vaccine, that number is very low (because vaccine is literally just coming in the door) and by Friday, that number is artificially higher because we've used up that supply" @nirav_mainecdc says
Also, "allocated" and "distributed" are being used inexactly, he says, and may include second doses that won't be delivered for weeks.
"They are on our tab as of right now, [but] we effectively have a voucher for those for when we will need them."
"They are on our tab as of right now, [but] we effectively have a voucher for those for when we will need them."
When Maine looks internally at what percent of doses that have come into the state have been administered, it's "in the mid-80% range."
"I can't speak to other states, but I can absolutely tell you that there are no doses sitting on the shelves in Maine" @nirav_mainecdc tells me
"I can't speak to other states, but I can absolutely tell you that there are no doses sitting on the shelves in Maine" @nirav_mainecdc tells me
Meanwhile, in California @TAragonMD tells @BBGVisualData that they did an audit, and found many doses that had been administered weren't being recorded: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/live-blog/2021-01-21/methodology-and-analysis-for-the-covid-19-vaccine-tracker#600F1E78B2240004
Along the same lines @SherylNYT asked @CDCDirector in today's briefing about the gap.
Her answer: "Not all vaccine that is 'allocated' or 'delivered' or whatnot is available for inserting into people's arms, and that where in the pipeline that is varies by the day of the week."
Her answer: "Not all vaccine that is 'allocated' or 'delivered' or whatnot is available for inserting into people's arms, and that where in the pipeline that is varies by the day of the week."
We've known about the reporting delay -- that it may take several days from when a shot is given to when it's recorded as administered on the @CDCgov site.
Now it seems the denominator in that equation might also be inflated.
Now it seems the denominator in that equation might also be inflated.
Here's another: @NYGovCuomo says 96% of doses have been administered in New York state. According @CDCgov and @BBGVisualData trackers, it's more like 60%. https://twitter.com/NYGovCuomo/status/1354472195536379907
The number of first doses administered matches @CDCgov closely, but CDC says 2.4 million doses have been "distributed" to New York. New York says it has "received" a total of 1.9 million doses.
