Gov. Gina M. Raimondo said on Oct. 7 that she’s willing to spend “tens of millions of dollars” for the state to evaluate and distribute future COVID-19 vaccines, but uncertainty remains on how those tasks will be divided between state and federal governments and what the price tag will be.
Raimondo has named a panel of 16 advisers that has already started planning for a vaccine, a step that has been taken by neighboring states, too.
The amount of Rhode Island’s portion of federal stimulus funds that Raimondo said she is dedicating to vaccine efforts may have raised some eyebrows, but there is still no set budget, according to R.I. Department of Health spokesman Joseph Wendelken.
Brett Smiley, director of the R.I. Department of Administration, said state officials have been closely monitoring negotiations on a new federal relief package. A recent draft proposed setting aside money for vaccine distribution for states, but Congress has yet to agree on another round of aid.
“The reason [Rhode Island’s vaccine effort] is a little bit undefined at the moment is we still don’t know what’s going to be the responsibility of the state and the responsibility of the federal government,” Smiley told Providence Business News.
As of yet, there’s no set timeline on the subcommittee or on a vaccine distribution, but Dr. Karen Tashima, director of clinical trials at Lifespan Corp.’s Immunology Center and member of the advisory panel, thinks that it could start earlier than anticipated.
“I think it may be as early as January that we would have some vaccine to give to the most high-risk people,” said Tashima, noting encouraging data from Moderna Inc.’s vaccine. “I think the state wants to be prepared for January.”
The advisory panel – made up of doctors, pharmacists, epidemiologists, government officials, and community and nonprofit leaders – has been organized as a subcommittee of the state’s established Vaccine Advisory Committee.
An eventual vaccine may come under political scrutiny and RIDOH Director Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott said the subcommittee will present clear-cut data during its outreach efforts. The group has already started weekly, virtual meetings.
Forming a committee to review eventual vaccines was a recommendation to states by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dedicating potentially “tens of millions of dollars” of Rhode Island’s $1.25 billion slice of federal relief to prepare and distribute an eventual vaccine doesn’t seem outside normal public health standards, according to Todd Olszewski, a Providence College professor of health policy and management.
“[That amount] is very much public health doing its job,” said Olszewski, who recently co-authored a book on vaccination. “This step seems like a natural extension [to the established Vaccine Advisory Committee].”
With a lack of current federal guidelines, Olszewski said he agrees that a local committee for vaccination plans is necessary given the current political climate.
“We don’t want to make the same mistakes there were in the spring with the lack of [personal protection equipment] distribution and testing,” said Olszewski.
Alexa Gagosz is a PBN staff writer. Contact her at Gagosz@PBN.com.
