New York to Review COVID-19 Vaccines, Citing Distrust in Administration’s Process

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is threatening not to distribute FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines in his state until they receive approval from a state task force of scientists, doctors and health experts.

It would be the first time any state has refused to distribute a federally approved vaccine. Cuomo said the state task force will “review the vaccine so I can look at the camera and can say to New Yorkers that it's safe to take. … If the vaccine is safe, then we have to decide how do you actually implement (distribute) it?”

The Democratic governor, a frequent critic of President Trump, said during a press conference Thursday that the review committee will be led by the New York State Department of Health. “The way the federal government has handled the vaccine, there are now serious questions about whether the vaccine has become politicized,” Cuomo said. — James Miessler