COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution: How High-Tech California Is Now Trying To Fix It
California's muddled county-based coronavirus vaccine distribution system has stoked confusion, frustration and angst for citizens across America's most populous state.
California, the deadly epicenter of the nation's winter coronavirus surge, has consistently ranked in the very bottom tier of states in vaccinations administered per capita. State officials say missing vaccination data and collection snafus are partly to blame. But in the face of ongoing criticism that high-tech California can't seem to efficiently administer the vaccine at scale, state leaders have announced a major do-over.
The in-progress revamp includes the launch of a statewide vaccine portal next month and bringing in a third-party administrator to help fix a jumbled system that basically has each of the state's 58 counties running its own vaccine program. State public health leaders say the moves, which follow the lifting of regional stay-at-home orders, will centralize delivery and streamline appointments while bolstering data collection, equity and accountability.
But Californians have heard these pledges before. Skeptics say Gov. Gavin Newsom is once again over-promising as he faces criticism, lawsuits and a nascent, yet growing, recall movement.
