Gov. Steve Bullock Friday announced Montana will receive 20 percent fewer COVID-19 vaccine doses than expected through the end of the year.
Montana’s vaccine allocation will drop from 60,000 to 48,000 doses this year, according to a news release from Bullock’s office. Other states also announced cuts to their shipments Friday.
In a statement, Bullock said the news is disappointing but the state will continue to prioritize protecting Montana’s most vulnerable populations and those serving on the front lines.
The state health department allocated next week’s smaller than anticipated 7,000 dose shipment of the Pfizer vaccine to long term care centers, Bullock’s office says. CVS, Walgreens, and Big Sky Managed Care Pharmacy will offer on-site COVID-19 vaccinations for those facilities.
Montana is also expected to receive more than 18,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine next week for frontline health care workers at rural critical access hospitals and community health care centers. Although the number is in line with expectations, Bullock’s office says future allocations will likely be smaller.
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