GoofGoof
Premium Member
I think it’s too soon to say. Manufacturing is just ramping up. Neither supplier is at full capacity yet. The number did increase from 30% to around 50% recently. I think it’s very likely to go up more. It almost has to unless daily doses drop. The doses per day are rising recently, not falling. If we were out of capacity to deliver the doses that wouldn’t go up. If we get to 100M doses delivered and the amount used is under 50% then I’d say that’s more cause for concern.I sometimes hope that the problem is just that. But I would expect as we approach two months into the ramp up of vaccination that the percent used converges towards a high number, not 50% or less. The reason for the perceived discrepancy of shots delivered vs shots in arms should be something that is understood and publicly reported.50% used without explanation of why it is only 50% is not good public relations.
Logistics is tough. In theory if every state used every dose they have today immediately and that number went to 100% used would people really be happy? Not the ones who have an appointment booked tomorrow for their first dose or a second dose booked on Thursday. You can’t have your cake and eat it too. A large number of the unused doses will be used shortly and appointments are already scheduled. We could pivot to a free for all approach where every dose received is sent to a central sight and they open the sight and use them all that day on a first come first serve basis. No appointments, just sit and wait in hopes they have enough that day. What we can’t see is how many unused doses are already allocated for use with near term appointments. If there are doses literally sitting on a shelf somewhere not intended for an appointment or shipment to a site that’s a bigger problem.