A week after Gov. Gavin Newsom of California announced that a panel of experts from his state would independently review any federally approved coronavirus vaccines before they were administered to residents, the governors of Washington, Oregon and Nevada announced they’d join California’s effort.
The move comes as leaders across the country face a vaccine-development process that many have said they fear is becoming overly politicized. “We believe in science, public health and safety,” Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington said in a statement. “That is why I am pleased that Washington is joining California and other western states in this effort.”
In September, Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York announced that his state would independently review any vaccines, saying President Trump had politicized the approval process. “Frankly, I’m not going to trust the federal government’s opinion,” Mr. Cuomo said at the time.
But in a news briefing on Tuesday, Mr. Newsom emphasized that the extra review was meant to reinforce federal findings and to ensure that the Western states have planned in detail who should be able to receive what are expected to be very limited early doses. It would not, he said, stall or add an additional layer of […]
Add a comment
