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WASHINGTON – Trump administration officials were baffled on Wednesday when Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the federal government was “not providing” New York with “any funding per se” to distribute doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Two sources tell the Post that Cuomo actually has more than $ 7.5 million available for the state’s vaccine distribution preparations, but hasn’t touched a dime.
New York City has nearly $ 6.6 million in a separate allocation for vaccine readiness and also drew $ 0 on Monday, sources said.
New York state officials admitted to the Post that they intended to access the funds, but have yet to do so.
It’s unclear why officials haven’t pulled the money out as vaccines are almost distributed this month – especially as the governor argues funding issues could slow distribution.
At a news conference in Albany, Cuomo said he expects New York to receive around 170,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine as of December 15. British officials approved the vaccine on Wednesday, beating the US Food and Drug Administration, which will meet on December 10 to decide on the vaccine. comes out.
“The federal government does not provide any funding per se for the states to do the vaccinations. Who is supposed to pay for this? How am I supposed to do the distribution? We have a COVID deficit, ”Cuomo asked.
Cuomo added, “You have local governments that are starving and can lay off essential workers, these are the essential workers you need to do the immunization program. This vaccine administration could cost the state $ 1 billion. The federal government has not provided any funding to the states near the amount. “
But the answer to Cuomo’s questions may well be to look at him in the mirror as federal plans call on state and local governments to take the lead in vaccine distribution, though vaccine doses and medical kits include including syringes, be paid for by the federal government.
US officials say they can deliver vaccine kits to any location requested by local authorities.
Federal allowances for states and major cities to prepare for the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine were announced on September 23, with funding from the CARES Act.
The funding is held by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and can be withdrawn through mechanisms used for other federal health funding to states, such as annual flu shots, an official said.
“It’s there for them,” a federal source told the Post.
“It’s a process that states use every year to raise funds for vaccines and vaccines,” he said. “It’s available now and other states and territories are taking advantage of it.”
One state used 17% of its allocation and another 10%, said a source with access to the data.
New York officials have said they intend to take the funds, but simply haven’t done so yet.
Freeman Klopott, a spokesperson for the New York State Budget Division, told the Post, “This is just an accounting because the state has already accumulated spending in excess of $ 14 million. dollars for preparation and planning of vaccine distribution.
Klopott pointed to Cuomo’s estimate that a “real outreach education campaign” promoting the vaccine to New Yorkers could cost $ 1 billion.
Klopott said, “We have racked up more expenses than the funding available, and it’s just a matter of counting when we reduce them.”
New York City is responsible for raising its own federal funds, state officials said. City officials did not immediately comment.
Some early distribution efforts will not necessarily cost state and local governments. In October, the federal government reached an agreement with pharmacy chains CVS and Walgreen to distribute vaccines to retirement homes, which will be among the first beneficiaries.
A different deal announced in November could see the vaccine available free to the public through national drugstore chains.
White House spokesman Michael Bars said that “the administration continues to reject any politically motivated attacks that stand in the way of the federal planning process and meaningful collaboration to ensure unprecedented vaccine delivery safe and effective to every zip code in America within 24 hours of FDA approval. “
The Cuomo administration had already dragged its feet after President Trump offered states expanded unemployment insurance in August. State officials waited 10 days to claim the $ 300 per week bonus for unemployed New Yorkers, even after the federal government called for guiding the governor’s team through the assistance program in pandemic case.
The UK will start distributing the Pfizer vaccine next week and authorities expect to have 800,000 doses within days, reports the BBC. The UK government operates a socialized medical system.
The Post reported last month that Cuomo had skipped 17 consecutive governor’s calls with the White House Coronavirus Task Force designed to brief state leaders on the vaccine development and deployment process.
Trump said on Nov. 13 that the federal government would not send vaccine doses to New York City until Cuomo confirmed it would distribute them immediately rather than wait for a redundant review by health officials from the state. Cuomo clarified that he would distribute the doses quickly and said a state review would take place concurrent with federal approval.
Additional reporting by Bernadette Hogan and Nolan Hicks in New York
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