President Joe Biden has a new national plan when it comes to vaccines. Which is to say, he has a plan.
In his first 100 days in office, Biden wants to spend $20 billion with the mission of getting 100 million doses of the vaccine into American arms. It’s part of the $400 billion in spending he’s asked of Congress to stop Covid-19 in its lethal tracks. “This will be one of the most challenging operational efforts ever undertaken by our country,” Biden said on January 15. “You have my word that we will manage the hell out of this operation.”
Though the goal is attainable, it won’t be easy. David Savitsky, CEO of ATC Healthcare Services, a health care staffing company, notes that while Biden’s “four bucket” plan makes a lot of sense, getting it operational will likely be challenging because different communities have differing needs. “We have to bring vaccines to people where they live, where they work, and even where they vacation, or else it will be years before we vaccinate enough people to truly achieve any meaningful result.”
He also notes that partnering with companies to get the workforce vaccinated may help the government speed the process while bolstering the overall health of the
economy. Many workplaces already arrange for flu shots for employees, so they already understand the process.