Iowa plans to withhold vaccine from Washington, 4 other counties next week

AP
2/13/21

Iowa health officials say they will withhold COVID-19 vaccines from five counties next week because they did not use up to 80% of their allocation this week.

Those counties are Washington, Poweshiek, Chickasaw, Buchanan, and Hancock.

Kelly Garcia, interim director of the Iowa Department of Public Health, said Friday the state is invoking a new rule, which is designed to minimize the amount of vaccine left in storage. Garcia says the counties are not being punished but are instead being given time to catch up in vaccinations. The counties will receive their full allocation of vaccine the following week if they meet the 80% target.