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Governor Newsom calls for clarity after COVID-19 vaccine stockpile confusion

Posted at 6:47 AM, Jan 16, 2021
and last updated 2021-01-16 09:47:26-05

SAN DIEGO (KGTV)- Encouraging news came earlier in the week when California announced that people 65 years and older could start getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

In San Diego County, that idea was quickly shot down as county officials announced there are not enough vaccine doses to start vaccinating that group, and it isn’t clear when another shipment would be coming in from the state.

“I’m 73-years-old; I’ll be 74 in March,” said Carlsbad resident Betty Stevens. “I would really like to get vaccinated, and it looks like it’ll be summer or later for me, even at 74 and with a preexisting condition. People are dying; it’s scary. My best friend in Texas is in the hospital right now.”

Stevens said she has basically been isolated since March 13, 2020. With an underlying health condition, she worries about getting COVID-19 and is anxiously waiting for her turn to get the vaccine.

“I miss my great-grandbabies,” she said. “I have great-grandchildren in Chula vista; I want to hold them.”
Hospitals across the county tell ABC 10News they are still waiting for more doses from the county, and now there’s another hurdle.

As states look to ramp up COVID-19 vaccination efforts, governors across the country say they were misled about the federal government having a COVID-19 vaccine stockpile.

“We had an all governors call with the vice president and HHS secretary 48 hours ago, making commitment and furthering their resolve to distribute these vaccines,” said Governor Newsom, speaking at a press conference at Dodger Stadium Friday. “I was part of a letter, a group of nine governors that requested the vaccines, particularly the 50 plus million doses that were estimated to be in storage Michigan, be distributed a few days later HHS said they would be distributing those doses, they confirmed that on the governors call.”

Newsom learned Friday HHS was unable to deliver on that promise. He called for clarity Friday.

“All of us are working closely with the incoming administration, hoping and expecting we get some clarification in the absence of any further clarification by the current administration,” he said.