U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) are calling on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to publicly release its weekly formula for allocating vaccines to states and other jurisdictions. The push for greater transparency comes as news reports suggest Iowa is lagging behind other states in vaccines delivered and CDC data currently available does not provide transparency into state’s vaccine allocation formula.
“Iowans must have confidence we are receiving our fair share of vaccines. I appreciate the CDC routinely releasing state-by-state vaccine data for allocation, doses delivered, and administration. However, it is difficult to determine based on this data whether Iowa is receiving its fair share,” the senators wrote in a letter to the CDC director.
“If the CDC publishes the week-to-week formula and key details, this transparency will ensure Iowans and all Americans can confirm the federal government is fairly allocating vaccines and build confidence in the vaccine distribution process.”
Full text of Grassley’s and Ernst’s letter to the CDC follows:
February 8, 2021
The Honorable Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH
Director
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Road
Atlanta, GA 30329
Dear Director Walensky,
We appreciate the Biden administration’s whole-of-government approach to deliver a safe and effective vaccine to the American people. This builds on the good work of the Trump administration’s Operation Warp Speed.
There are recent reports that Iowa is not receiving its fair share of vaccines.[1] We request the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publicly release its weekly formula for allocating vaccines to states, territories, tribes, other public health jurisdictions, and federal entities. No matter where you live, Iowans and all Americans should have fair access to a vaccine.
Iowans must have confidence we are receiving our fair share of vaccines. We appreciate the CDC routinely releasing state-by-state vaccine data for allocation, doses delivered, and administration.[2], [3], [4] However, it is difficult to determine based on this data whether Iowa is receiving its fair share. This publicly reported data can also lag. In our request for the CDC to publicly release its weekly formula to allocate vaccines, we ask the CDC to publish this information in a simple format for every week you have allocated vaccines and each state’s weekly pro-rata share of vaccine allocations.
If the CDC publishes the week-to-week formula and key details, this transparency will ensure Iowans and all Americans can confirm the federal government is fairly allocating vaccines and build confidence in the vaccine distribution process.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. If you have questions, please reach out to members of our staff, Nic Pottebaum (202-224-5988) and Anna Breen (202-224-3254).
Sincerely,
Charles E. Grassley
United States Senator
Joni K. Ernst
United States Senator
