New York State is forming an independent advisory task force of scientists, doctors, and health experts that will review every Covid-19 vaccine authorized by the federal government and advise on its safety and effectiveness, according to an announcement last Thursday from Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo.
The governor also established a vaccine distribution and implementation task force, charged with designing “the nation’s best Covid-19 vaccination administration program.”
That task force, with experts in public health, immunizations, government operations, data, and other fields relevant to vaccine distribution and administration, is charged with developing a plan to prioritize vaccine recipients based solely on clinical guidance; a distribution network capable of providing two doses of vaccine to all New Yorkers; finding qualified professionals and organizations to administer the vaccine; arranging data and IT infrastructure for scheduling appointments and tracking program metrics; planning public education regarding a vaccination program, and procuring necessary supplies and equipment.
