Kelly, Sinema Urge Administration to Provide Arizona Additional Vaccines

Arizona Senators Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema requested the administration provide an emergency additional vaccine allotment for Arizona.

“Arizona needs more vaccines to ramp up state vaccination sites while also ensuring that rural and border areas get enough to meet the capacity they have to vaccinate their communities. Getting Arizonans vaccinated is how we’re going to beat this virus and get our economy back on track, and our state needs a larger allotment especially as we work to vaccinate those who are vulnerable and essential workers including farmworkers and Department of Homeland Security employees,” said Kelly.  

“Arizona suffers from one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in the country. Our hospitals and vaccination sites are overwhelmed, and we need additional vaccine doses to save lives and provide immediate help to Arizona seniors, people with pre-existing conditions, frontline workers, and tribal communities,” said Sinema.

Arizona is suffering from one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in the country. Sinema has heard from Arizonans who are in 1A and 1B vaccination groups, but are waiting hours online or by phone to secure vaccination appointments, and many are unable to schedule appointments at all. The Senators are requesting 300,000 vaccine doses immediately and an increase of 300,000 doses in the weekly allocation of vaccines to the state from the federal government, consistent with the State of Arizona’s request.

Today’s request follows Sinema’s request from last week when she asked HHS and FEMA to provide more vaccination personnel, an immediate supplement of 300,000 vaccine doses, and an additional 300,000 doses added to Arizona’s usual weekly allocations. Senator Sinema is helping vaccination sites find more volunteers and volunteering at sites herself. She continues to communicate Arizona’s needs to federal partners, Pfizer, Moderna, and the new administration.

Read the Senators’ letter HERE.