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Law360 (January 26, 2021, 6:09 PM EST ) Demand for the COVID-19 vaccination outpaced supply over the past week, generating calls from governors in Pennsylvania and New York for the federal government to make more doses available for the rapidly expanding pool of eligible residents.
The supply issue prompted California to streamline the way it administers the scarce doses, while New Jersey launched a telephone hotline to field vaccine questions and Illinois launched an initiative to get residents immunized at Hy-Vee pharmacies.
Coronavirus treatment and testing also made strides. Texas continued to expand its infusion therapy centers and Delaware is increasing accessibility to rapid COVID-19 tests for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Here's a breakdown of some of the COVID-19-related state measures from the past week.
Click for state-by-state data on COVID-19 legislation and executive orders, powered by LexisNexis.
California
In an effort to streamline the vaccination process, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday unveiled new guidelines to simplify eligibility framework, standardize vaccine information and data, and quicken the pace of administration. The state, which has so far received four million doses of the vaccine, has roughly 11.5 million residents who fall into the priority phase, according to Newsom's announcement that California has tripled the pace of vaccinations from 43,459 per day on Jan. 4 to 131,620 on Jan. 15.
Also Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom, Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon jointly announced the extension of the eviction moratorium through June 30.
Delaware
Gov. John Carney on Tuesday renewed the state of emergency declaration first issued in March for another 30 days.
The state's Division of Developmental Disabilities Services on Jan. 21 announced a partnership with health officials to bring rapid COVID-19 tests to group homes and other settings that serve individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Florida
In a vaccine distribution progress update Monday, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that members and staffers of the state's nearly 700 nursing homes and more than 3,000 assisted living facilities will be inoculated by Feb. 1.
Illinois
The state has partnered with Hy-Vee pharmacies across the central and northern regions to administer vaccinations to eligible individuals, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Tuesday.
On Friday, health officials said eight more cases of the coronavirus variant first discovered in the United Kingdom have been reported in the state, for a total of nine cases. The first variant case in the state was reported in Chicago on Jan. 15.
Massachusetts
Gov. Charlie Baker on Jan. 21 expanded immunization eligibility to all residents in the state's first phase of the vaccine administration. The first phase includes health care workers, first responders and those who work in congregate care settings such as prisons and shelters.
New Jersey
The state's toll-free vaccination hotline went live on Tuesday and drew 17,000 calls during its first operational hour, Gov. Phil Murphy announced during a coronavirus briefing. The hotline assists residents who have general questions about the vaccine, their eligibility and locations where they can get vaccinated. Noting the scarcity of the supply, Murphy said appointments were limited and asked the public for patience.
Also on Tuesday, the state's Department of Human Services announced that New Jersey's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will continue to provide enhanced food assistance benefits in February.
New York
In a virtual announcement Sunday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said vaccination pop-up sites would be opening this week at Mount Olivet Baptist Church in Rochester, The People's AME Zion Church in Syracuse and Bethany Baptist Church in Brooklyn.
Texas
The state's Division of Emergency Management has expanded the coronavirus treatment center in Austin with the addition of 24 infusion therapy chairs to administer Regeneron's monoclonal antibodies and Bamlanivimab, Gov. Greg Abbott announced Monday. The Austin Regional Infusion Center, which opened with nine chairs, has so far treated 279 patients, Abbott said.
Abbott on Jan. 22 said state health and emergency management authorities have deployed more medical equipment, personnel and testing supplies, and personal protective equipment to Laredo to help address rising cases and hospitalizations in the town.
--Editing by Emily Kokoll.
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