CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Eight governors, including JB Pritzker, are demanding that the federal government send more vaccines immediately.
In a letter sent to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the governors lamented the slower than expected rollout and demanded to receive reserved vaccines.
“In each of our states, vaccine delivery has been much slower than we anticipated, so it is imperative that the federal government distribute the vaccines it is holding on reserve. These vaccines will save millions of Americans from the unnecessary danger and hardship of contracting COVID-19,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Up to now, this vaccine has only been offered to a very specific group of people at very specific location. Our states are ready to work alongside the federal government to expand vaccine distribution so that we can protect the wellbeing of all our residents, families, small businesses and our economy.”
Governor Pritzker contends the government is holding at least 50 percent of the doses. The federal government has said it is holding vaccines to ensure second doses are available to those who already had the first shot.
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“While some of these life-saving vaccines are sitting in Pfizer freezers, our nation is losing 2,661 Americans each day, according to the latest seven-day average,” the letter says. “The failure to distribute these doses to states who request them is unconscionable and unacceptable.”
The other governors include: Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, California Governor Gavin Newsom, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, Washington Governor Jay Inslee and Kansas Governor Laura Kelly.