Sen. Chuck Grassley
Multiple Iowa high school gyms, stadiums and city convention centers would be converted to temporary federal COVID-19 vaccination centers under an executive order being signed by President Joe Biden today.
Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says the details of the project are still being developed and it’s not clear where the new centers would be located in Iowa or anywhere else.
“No, we don’t have any news along that line yet, but anything that can be done to get this into the bodies of as many people as want to do it,” Grassley says. “I hope a high percentage of people will do it. I’m hoping at least 80% do in order to get this under control.”
Under the executive order, the federal vaccination centers would be staffed nationwide by thousands of workers, some of them from federal agencies and the military.
“I look forward to working with him on it and I think we have Governor Reynolds leading on the vaccine and I’m supporting her efforts now,” Grassley says. “I’m sure she’s going to cooperate with any crank-up that Biden does in that effort.”
The president’s plan calls for speeding up vaccine production and he’s encouraging states to vaccinate people 65 and older, in addition to more workers considered essential, like grocery store employees and teachers.
State health officials say more than 150,000 Iowans have now been vaccinated for COVID-19, primarily health care workers and residents and staff in long-term care facilities.