FEMA Supports Vaccine Distribution: COVID-19 Response Update

Release Date Release Number
HQ-21-028
Release Date:
February 10, 2021

WASHINGTON – FEMA has now obligated more than $3.15 billion to states, tribes, territories, and Washington, D.C., for community vaccination centers and is seeking bids to contract medical personnel to help staff both federally supported and community vaccine centers around the country.

The contracts will be awarded through the federal acquisition process and are expected to be completed by mid-March. Local and community-based hospitals, state-managed centers as well as federally supported and federally managed centers would receive staff from these contracts exclusively for vaccine support.

As the number of states with obligations increases, we will work alongside other federal agencies to provide federal support for critical staffing, supplies and other shortfalls that can help get more people vaccinated.

As of Feb. 9, FEMA has deployed 784 incident management and 310 incident support staff across the nation to support vaccine centers with federal personnel and technical assistance. Additional FEMA staff across the country are supporting virtually.  

FEMA and Other Federal Agencies Are Supporting Vaccine Centers

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is supporting FEMA’s COVID-19 state-led, federally supported community vaccination centers response.

USACE is supporting six FEMA mission assignments to support vaccination centers across the nation. This support includes subject matter expert support to existing FEMA/state assessment teams, including electrical engineering support, providing site assessments for new sites and providing contracting capability to establish new sites. 

USACE is coordinating with FEMA and the CDC to design walk-up, drive-through and mobile vaccination centers. Vaccination center size and location are decided by state, local, tribal and territorial governments.  The intent of these designs is the use of existing infrastructure when available.

The U.S. National Guard Bureau is providing 1,108 vaccinators, to 364 vaccination centers in 40 states and territories.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III approved 1,110 active duty troops to support five vaccine centers. FEMA will be partnering with the Department of Defense for additional resources at vaccination centers throughout the country.

Vaccine Guidance

The CDC Vaccine Task Force and Data Analysis & Visualization Task Force launched the CDC COVID Data Tracker Vaccinations Trends page. This page includes the overall trends of vaccinations over time in the United States and for the Federal Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program.

FEMA is working with the Ad Council to encourage hesitant or underrepresented people to get vaccinated. This research-driven public education campaign provides federal, non-profit and medical stakeholders with insights and communications strategies to tailor communications to reach diverse audiences.

Everyone has a role to play in increasing vaccinations. Support your family, friends and neighbors if they need help getting appointments or getting to a vaccination center. You can help those without access to technology or those with low computer literacy to sign up online.

The vaccine is not a perfect fix. Everyone should continue to practice other precautions like wearing a mask, social distancing, handwashing and other hygiene measures until public health officials say otherwise.

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