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Ongoing Vaccine Distribution Problems and the Trump Administration's Last Week
In this email:
* The Trump Administration’s Last Actions…
* …And Biden’s Plans for the Future
*  Congressional Investigations


American Oversight’s Covid-19 Oversight Hub ([link removed]) provides news and policy resources to help you keep track of the investigations into the government’s pandemic response. The project brings together a public documents database, an oversight tracker of important ongoing investigations and litigation, regular news updates, and deeper dives into key issues.

Too Little, Too Late
Last week, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar acknowledged ([link removed]) that a top U.S. health official, Dr. Nancy Messonier, was correct when she warned in February 2020 that the coronavirus pandemic could cause “severe” disruption to everyday life. At the time, Messonier’s words enraged President Donald Trump, who reportedly threatened ([link removed]) to fire her. She was later removed from future White House press conferences. Azar’s recognition came nearly a year after Covid-19 upended the country — a year in which more than 400,000 have Americans died ([link removed]) from the virus, millions were infected, and disenfranchised communities faced massive health and
economic challenges, all while Trump continually insisted ([link removed]) the virus would “disappear.”

The Trump Administration’s Last Actions…
In the waning days of the Trump administration, officials continued to cause confusion about the distribution of vaccines. Last week, Azar announced ([link removed]) that the government would release coronavirus vaccine doses that had been held in reserve, leading states to expect an increase in vaccine supply. Then the Washington Post reported ([link removed]) that no real reserve existed, as Operation Warp Speed stopped stockpiling second doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in December. Governors across the country expressed outrage ([link removed]) about the misleading information.

Also last week, Azar claimed ([link removed]) that the United States has built the most extensive testing system in the world, and that the federal government “got out of the way of testing.” Johns Hopkins research ([link removed]) shows the vast majority of U.S. states are testing below levels recommended by the World Health Organization. Previous reporting ([link removed]) and documents obtained by American Oversight ([link removed]) have shown that federal interference delayed testing in the early days of the pandemic, when tracking the virus’ spread was especially crucial.

The administration has also made several last-minute policy changes, including announcing the lifting of a ban ([link removed]) on travelers from Europe and Brazil (a move President-elect Joe Biden’s team has vowed to block) and enlisting private companies ([link removed]) to review Covid-19 tests in an attempt to bypass the Food and Drug Administration, a decision that also can be rolled back by the Biden administration.

…And Biden’s Plans for the Future
On Friday, Biden pledged to administer 100 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine in the first 100 days of his administration, as part of his broader plan ([link removed]) to combat Covid-19. The plan includes creating more vaccination sites, broadening the groups that are eligible to receive the vaccine, and increasing equitable distribution. Biden also announced a $1.9 trillion stimulus proposal ([link removed]) that includes $1,400 in direct assistance to some Americans and improved unemployment benefits.

In the States
* Last week, Mississippi ([link removed]) ran out of vaccines, and New York City ([link removed]) is facing an impending shortage. Officials in Florida ([link removed]) are worried that new policies may create difficulties for providing people with their second doses.
* Black residents make up less than 5 percent ([link removed]) of the Floridians who have gotten the vaccine, reflecting nationwide concerns ([link removed]) that the vaccine rollout isn’t reaching the populations most in need of relief.
* Despite the fact that coronavirus is rapidly spreading in New York prisons ([link removed]) , Gov. Andrew Cuomo did not include ([link removed]) incarcerated people in the expanded 1B group ([link removed]) of those who are eligible to be vaccinated.

Wisconsin Struggled to Obtain Much-Needed Federal Support
American Oversight published documents ([link removed]) showing that in the spring and summer of 2020, Wisconsin health officials repeatedly requested federal assistance in obtaining personal protective equipment as the state faced critical shortages of medical gowns and N95 masks. At the same time that state officials were pleading for assistance, our documents showed that Vice President Mike Pence held events in the state that flouted local health guidelines and social-distancing measures.

Restaurant Workers in Need of Aid
The Joint Economic Committee released a report ([link removed]) detailing the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the restaurant industry and explaining why more relief for restaurants and restaurant workers is needed. Since the beginning of the pandemic, one in four (2.5 million) of the 10 million jobs lost across the U.S. have been restaurant jobs.

The Paycheck Protection Program’s Flaws
* The Small Business Administration Inspector General analyzed data of high-risk transactions related to pandemic assistance to small businesses and found ([link removed]) that approximately $3.6 billion in Paycheck Protection Program loans were sent to potentially ineligible beneficiaries.
* A Washington Post analysis ([link removed]) found that more than 1,800 PPP loans went to debt collectors and high-interest lenders. These businesses received more than $580 million in aid.


Department of Justice Investigates Covid-19 in Prisons
* Inspection of Federal Correctional Institution Terminal Island: The DOJ Inspector General released findings from a remote inspection ([link removed]) of FCI Terminal Island, a federal prison in California. The analysis found that half of the ten incarcerated people at Terminal Island who died from the virus did not receive a Covid-19 test until they were hospitalized. Additionally, Terminal Island staff did not comply with Bureau of Prisons policy in notifying the families of inmates with serious illnesses; in one instance, an individual who ultimately died from Covid-19 was on a ventilator for six days, but staff never informed their family until after they died.

* Inspection of Federal Correctional Complex Coleman: The DOJ OIG released findings from its remote inspection ([link removed]) of FCC Coleman, a federal prison in Florida. The report found that by January, more than 800 incarcerated individuals tested positive for the virus, and 175 staff members tested positive.


Congressional Investigations
* Policies for the Next Covid-19 Relief Package: Sen. Cory Booker and Rep. Ayanna Pressley encouraged ([link removed](003).pdf) Biden to include the American Opportunity Accounts Act, or "Baby Bonds," in the next Covid-19 relief package. Baby Bonds would create a federally funded savings account for every American child with the hope of closing the racial wealth gap in the U.S; at birth, $1,000 is deposited, and the account grows every year until the child is 18 years old.

* Maximizing Distribution of Covid-19 Vaccines: Sen. Dianne Feinstein asked ([link removed]) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield to publish best practice guidelines on how Covid-19 vaccine providers can maximize distribution of their allocated doses in situations where demand in priority groups is lower than expected or doses would otherwise be at risk of expiring.

* HHS Fund Allocation: Sen. Elizabeth Warren and six House Democrats urged ([link removed]) Azar to allocate funds reserved for underserved communities in the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021 to empower community organizations and leaders to respond effectively to Covid-19.

To find out more about our work, you can follow us on Twitter at @WeAreOversight ([link removed]) and @ojocorrupcion ([link removed]) , or like us on Facebook ([link removed]) . If you are able, please consider supporting our work with a contribution here ([link removed]) .

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Thank you again for following our latest news. We are grateful for your support and for helping us hold the administration accountable.

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