--- title: "Report: Trump Admin’s Promised COVID Vaccine Reserve Doesn’t Exist" description: "A COVID-19 reserve held back intended to be used as second booster shots by the Trump administration doesn't actually exist, the Washington Post reports." date: "2021-01-15" modified: "2021-01-15" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/neoscope/trump-admin-covid-vaccine-doesnt-exist" categories: - "Developments" - "Health & Medicine" tags: - "coronavirus" - "covid19" - "vaccine" - "vaccines" --- # Report: Trump Admin’s Promised COVID Vaccine Reserve Doesn’t Exist ![A COVID-19 reserve held back intended to be used as second booster shots by the Trump administration doesn't actually exist, the Washington Post reports.]() *\Image: Image via Pixabay/Victor Tangermann\* A reserve of coronavirus vaccines that the Trump administration promised to release doesn't actually exist, [*The Washington Post* reports](). Earlier this week, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar promised that the federal government would start distributing a stockpile of vaccines reserved for a second dose. But according to state and federal officials, there's no evidence they had anything to promise. According to the *Post*, supplies intended for second doses had already been sent out when Azar made his promise — yet another damning indictment of the [Trump administration's alarming incompetence]() at fighting the COVID pandemic. The news sets the stage for an even more drawn out vaccine distribution schedule in the country. Not all health officials have been informed of the news, according to the *Post*. An anonymous senior administration official shot back and [told *CNN*]() that the supply would be rolling and replenished over time, but admitted that there won't be a surge in distribution numbers. Michael Pratt, a spokesperson for Operation Warp Speed, an initiative set up by the Trump administration to roll develop and roll out vaccines, also denied to *CNN* that the supply was "exhausted." The Trump administration's reserve was meant to protect against the possibility of manufacturing disruptions and delays since both vaccines approved in the US, developed by Pfizer and BioNTech and one by Moderna, have to be administered twice, three and four weeks apart respectively. "Earlier today, we became concerned when we discovered there were no additional doses available for allocation," Oregon health director Patrick Allen wrote in a letter obtained by the *Post*. He also noted that "if true, this is extremely disturbing, and puts our plans to expand eligibility at grave risk." Governments around the world are now weighing their options, with some opting to disseminate vaccines initially earmarked as second doses much earlier to those who haven't received any doses yet. There is some evidence that the vaccines are still effective even if the second dose is delayed by several weeks. Earlier this month, [the World Health Organization announced]() that while it still recommends to administer Pfizer's vaccine "within 21 to 28 days," it may still be effective a few weeks after the recommended second dose delay. ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()