TAMPA, Fla. — There are some concerns about second dose supplies of the coronavirus vaccine.

Mainly since President Trump's administration made some changes to the rollout rules, which now include making all vaccine supply immediately available to states, instead of holding back second doses to be sent later.

This change also matches the approach that President-Elect Biden has proposed.


What You Need To Know

  • Concerns over supplies of 2nd doses of vaccine 

  • Doctors at Moffitt Cancer Center have received supplies of 2nd doses

  • Many of their patients are considered exceptionally vulnerable

Doctors at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa were sweating it for a few days, not knowing if, or when, they may receive the vaccines for the second doses.

But the good news is they received more vaccines Thursday.

“Some hospitals are in a position of having to worry right now, and we were even a couple days ago,” said Dr. Bob Keenan, Moffitt’s Chief Medical Officer. “The state's promising and we would like to believe that but it's one of those things until it shows up on your loading dock you have angst.”

Dr. Keenan explained the problem with the new federal plan to release all of the Covid vaccines at once, and not in any sort of prioritized order, hospitals are concerned there won't be enough to round.

A large majority of the Moffitt staff chose to be vaccinated and many of their patients are considered exceptionally vulnerable, Dr. Keenan said.

He added he hopes the federal government's plans to release all of the doses means manufacturers of the drug have told them they can keep up with production. He said there about 50,000 to 70,000 patients who could be vaccinated if all the doses were available.

And in the meantime, he says he's remaining optimistic.

“I do believe we are on track to have reliable supplies,” Keenan said. “Not just of this vaccine but remember there's another couple of vaccines that are almost certain to get FDA emergency use authorization within the next couple of months.

“So that's going to be expanding the supply even more so as far as I'm concerned I would like to continue to basically go full steam ahead and try to get as many people vaccinated as possible.”