Governors back vaccine timeline, but need supply

White House says nation will get enough by May 1

Governors largely cheered President Joe Biden’s declaration that all Americans should be eligible for coronavirus vaccinations by May 1, but the goal will require a shift for states that have been methodical in how they roll out the shots.

California hasn’t set a timeline for giving vaccines to the general public, instead prioritizing older adults, teachers and people in vulnerable neighborhoods. Oregon planned to open eligibility for front-line workers and all adults with disabilities, not the broader population, by May 1.

Alaska, meanwhile, is already allowing everyone to sign up for a shot. Florida Gov. Ron Desantis said before Biden spoke Thursday night that all adults could be eligible by next month, while Colorado Gov. Jared Polis announced Friday that everyone will be there by mid-april. Governors in Wisconsin, Louisiana and North Carolina said they’re ready to open the floodgates on May 1.

But several governors cautioned it must come with a dramatic increase in vaccine supply.

“In order for widespread and comprehensive vaccination to work, the federal government will need to come through with increased doses and infrastructure,“Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said in a statement.

Jeffrey Zients, White House’s coronavirus coordinator, told reporters Friday that May 1 is an “absolute deadline“and the nation will have enough supply to give shots to all adults by the end of that month. Now, an average of 2.2 million doses are being administered per day.

As long as supply ramps up, the goal seems reasonable, said Jennifer Nuzzo, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. But she warned it could create challenges around equity and set unrealistic expectations among Americans that they will immediately be vaccinated come May.

Some states may not have the infrastructure to quickly ramp up doses for such a broad pool.

“It could be a delay for people to actually get a vaccine because of the operational constraints,“she said.

Elsewhere, governors met Biden’s goal with enthusiasm.

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice said the state “will absolutely step up” to hit the goal. About 13 percent of residents are fully vaccinated, among the highest rates in the country.