Quote:
Originally Posted by reddog1951
Fly away gna. Problem always was no COORDINATED federal response. On Trump and cronies shoulders for lack of leadership and downplaying the threat. Each state has a finite level of resources, unlike the feds who can literally print money. Unlike you, the majority has realized the ineptitude of your hero. Maybe as you get older you'll get wiser too.
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That's absolute bullshit.
First, the STATES are responsible for distribution and have been right from the start. They administer the hospitals and Medicaid programs. They control the National Guard and local police and fire departments.
The federal government has only be in charge of SUPPLY of PPE and ventilators and - despite all the panic in Feb. and March - that was done properly. No state ran out of equipment, not even NY. We are back to being stretched thin in some states - like CA and AZ - but that is probably because the caseload is so large, there aren't enough medical staff to take care of them. You can stockpile masks and ventilators, but you can't stockpile doctors and nurses.
Only SOME states are having distribution problems and they are the usual suspects - like NY. Cuomo likes to fancy himself some kind of crisis genius, so he came up with a 37 point plan for prioritizing who gets the shot first and apparently NEVER considered the possibility that some people would refuse the shot.
As a result, NY got a million vaccines and only used 30% of them. No one should know NY as well as local NY government workers, such as medical workers, police, and politicians. they should know best about how and where to distribute the vaccines. They have the local knowledge, NOT the federal government. And the states have the personnel, NOT the federal government. But apparently some state governors are too incompetent to get out of their own way.
Meanwhile, North Dakota and WV are just distributing through CVS and Walgreens and are FAR ahead of NY in distributing vaccines.
The federal government is distributing the vaccines. It is SOME states that are failing to administer it.
There is a saying in both the military and business - K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple, Stupid.
The best plan is a simple and FAST plan. The worst plan is one that tries to administer the vaccine using social justice BS to determine priority - that causes nothing but delay and resentment.
FIRST, administer the vaccine to EVERY resident and employee of the nursing homes and to every medical worker. Any employee who refuses loses 2 weeks pay. Also administer to anyone with a medical condition, regardless of age.
SECOND, administer the vaccines free at every pharmacy in the state to anyone over 65 until you start having surplus vaccines. Concerned families will bring their grandparents to get the vaccines. You don't wait to have appointments in doctors offices or try to go door-to-door - too slow and too complicated. Plus you will get harassed by anti-vax nutjobs.
THIRD, each week or so, lower the age limit in 5 year decrements and administer the vaccines free at every pharmacy in the state to anyone over 60, then over 55, then over 50, etc.
Eventually, you will simply be administering the vaccines free to whomever shows up with no waiting or appointments.
At that point, it is up to businesses to tell their employees to get vaccinated or find a job somewhere else. Social pressure will be needed to get 70% of the country vaccinated to get to herd immunity.
I think the vaccine must be free. Medical insurance plans can be charged to offset the costs to government, but the states and federal government have to step in to cover this who have no health insurance. Cost cannot be an excuse for not getting vaccinated.
