Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has responded after critics voiced opposition to newly posted Centers for Disease Control and Prevention contracts for COVID-19 vaccines.
“The claim that CDC has already spent $1.24 billion on COVID-19 vaccines is simply wrong,” Kennedy wrote on X on June 18.
The CDC, part of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), recently posted contracts worth some $1.2 billion for COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna.
“The contracts cited are indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contracts put in place ahead of the season to ensure availability if needed,” Kennedy said.
“HHS and CDC have not purchased COVID-19 vaccines for the upcoming respiratory season and have made no decisions regarding future purchases. IDIQ contracts allowing future orders are not the same as spending taxpayer dollars.”…