Andrew Cuomo threatens Trump administration with lawsuit over vaccine distribution
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo threatened to take legal action against the Trump administration in order to ensure the equitable distribution of a vaccine in his state. "The Trump administration is designing the distribution plan, and their plan basically has private healthcare companies administer the vaccines," Cuomo said in an address to Manhattan's Riverside Church on Sunday. "The president talks about CVS and Walgreens and national chains. Sure. But they are mainly located in rich communities, not in poor communities. My friends, we cannot compound the racial injustice that COVID has already created. And let me be clear — the black and brown communities that were first on the list of who died cannot be last on the list of who receives the vaccines, period." Cuomo confirmed that if changes are not made to the distribution plan, the state will be joining a lawsuit with the NAACP and the Urban League in an attempt to correct the problems he sees. The governor argued that states need more funding from the federal government in order to distribute the vaccine properly. "I’ve tried to work with the Trump administration and argue morality and principle for four years. You’re better off trying to argue with a rock. But it’s not just about morality," Cuomo said. "There can be no more fundamental right in this moment than access to the vaccine. Any plan that intentionally burdens communities of color to hinder access to the vaccine deprives those communities of equal protection under the law and equal protection is enshrined in the Constitution of these United States."
On Friday, President Trump said New York would be delayed in getting access to the vaccine. "The vaccine will be available to the entire general population with the exception of places like New York state where, for political reasons, the governor decided to say — and I don't think that it's good politically, I think it's bad from a health standpoint — but he wants to take his time with the vaccine," Trump said. "He doesn't trust where the vaccine is coming from. These are coming from the greatest companies anywhere in the world … but he doesn't trust the fact that it's this White House, this administration." Trump added, "The governor, Governor Cuomo, will have to let us know when he's ready for it." New York decided that state-appointed officials will independently review the vaccine after it is released. The governors of California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington, all announced that they would take similar measures.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/andrew-cuomo-threatens-trump-administration-with-lawsuit-over-vaccine-distribution