As U.S. COVID-19 vaccine supplies dwindle, many face canceled appointments

New York, January 22 (RHC)-- In New York City, vaccination clinics have begun canceling appointments and turning away seniors as supplies of Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines dwindle.  It’s a scene that’s been repeated across the United States.

New York City Councilmember Mark Levine said: “Because of the unreliability of supply, the city had to cancel tens of thousands of appointments this week.  This is a desperate situation.  At the pace at which we are receiving vaccine, it would take us well into 2022 to achieve herd immunity in New York City.  That’s unacceptable.”

On Thursday, President Joe Biden invoked the Defense Production Act to increase COVID-19 testing and the production of vaccine supplies, including glass vials and syringes.  Many public health experts are calling on Biden to use his executive powers to demand that vaccine makers share their patented technologies with other manufacturers in order to end production bottlenecks and speed vaccines to people across the U.S. and around the world.