Why is the coronavirus vaccine rollout going slowly? 

A close up of a needle going into a glass vial.
Pharmacist Dan Cook prepares a dose of the COVID-19 at the Gardens of Episcopal Homes in St. Paul. Residents and employees in the long-term care facility began getting vaccinated on Dec. 30, 2020
Christine T. Nguyen | MPR News 2020

The biggest vaccination effort in history is underway.

A month after the first coronavirus vaccine was approved for emergency use, millions of people working in health care or living in nursing homes have received the first of two required shots. 

But, the number of vaccinations has fallen short of government projections, prompting criticism and calls to speed up the process to save lives. Less than a third of vaccines shipped to states have been given out. Disorganization led to scenes like ones in Florida, where seniors waited in lines overnight for a chance at a shot. 

Why has the vaccine rollout gotten off to a slow start? Were exhausted and underfunded health departments prepared to launch a mass vaccination effort? 

Create a More Connected Minnesota

MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.

Every Monday, MPR Host Kerri Miller talks about pandemic science and policy. This week, she talked to two public health experts and took listener calls about the bumpy vaccination rollout and what can be done to ensure the next phase of vaccinations to the broader public will go more smoothly. 

Guests:

To listen to the full conversation you can use the audio player above.

Subscribe to the MPR News with Kerri Miller podcast on: Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotify or RSS