CDC tells states to be ready to distribute COVID-19 vaccine by November 1

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has sent a letter to state governors asking them to speed up approval for vaccine distribution sites by November 1, the latest sign the U.S. government is eager to get a vaccine out before the end of the year.

In an August 27 letter, obtained by several media outlets, CDC Director Robert Redfield asked state governors and health departments to fast-track permits and licenses for new distribution sites. Redfield wrote:

“The normal time required to obtain these permits presents a significant barrier to the success of this urgent public health program. CDC urgently requests your assistance in expediting applications for these distribution facilities and, if necessary, asks that you consider waiving requirements that would prevent these facilities from becoming fully operational by November 1, 2020.”

“CDC urgently requests your assistance in expediting applications for these distribution facilities,” he continued, “and, if necessary, asks that you consider waiving requirements that would prevent these facilities from becoming fully operational by November 1, 2020.”

Redfield added that the McKesson Corporation, a Texas-based health care company, would soon request permits to build distribution sites and that the process should be expedited. The letter, which outlined the distribution of two potential vaccines, was also sent last week to every state and US territory, along with five major cities, according to the New York Times: New York, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, and San Antonio.

The letter also describes two unnamed vaccine candidates, each of which would require two doses spaced a few weeks apart. As of the time of writing, the US currently has 6,088,187 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 184,803 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.