Goodman challenges Sisolak to step up on vaccine shortage: ‘Use all the clout’

Gov. Steve Sisolak “needs to use all the clout that he has” to bring more vaccines to Nevada, Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman said Wednesday, acknowledging that while the governor has been vocal about the state’s shortage, “the reality is we need the results.”

In an interview with the Review-Journal, Goodman put the responsibility of acquiring enough immunizations firmly into Sisolak’s hands but also absolved him of blame for the lagging rollout.

“I don’t care whose fault it is, we just want the vaccines and we want to have the truth,” including whether they have proven to be effective, she said.

There have been nearly 175,000 shots administered in Clark County, mostly the first dose of the two that are needed, according to the latest data from the Southern Nevada Health District. But the state’s rollout per capita has been behind most others as lawmakers in all levels of Nevada government push federal officials for more supply.

“No one has been more vocal about the need for Nevada to get more vaccines than the governor — something he has repeatedly made clear to federal agencies and continues to fight for in partnership with Nevada’s federal delegation,” spokeswoman Meghin Delaney said in a statement.

Delaney also said that Sisolak had directed state agencies to assist local entities with efforts to administer the vaccine and prepare to expand those efforts once more doses are sent to Nevada.

Governor is ‘tip of the iceberg’

On Wednesday, the Las Vegas City Council approved an agreement with the county to use Cashman Field as a vaccination site through Dec. 31, and to continue an existing agreement for testing at the site through June 30.

Goodman was supportive of the deals but also raised frustration about the vaccine supply that she later expanded upon in the interview.

“The only problem is we wish we had the leadership to go ahead and get as many vaccines as we have people here,” she said during the meeting.

However, Goodman did not cast blame on the governor for the shortage, noting how a change in presidential administrations could have led to hiccups, particularly because divergent political groups exchanged control.

“I don’t think you can blame anything,” she said.

But she urged the governor to intensify his response to the shortage and to press the federal government to provide more doses. People are frustrated because they are eligible for the vaccine and cannot get it, she said.

“It does rest with the highest level of government to get us the vaccine and be the voice of the people,” she said, later adding, “the tip of the iceberg, the top of the pyramid, is the governor.”

Goodman also said the governor needed to provide more information to the state about various aspects of the rollout, including where efforts stood to acquire more doses.

Delaney suggested the mayor reach out to the health district if she was confused about the number of doses received each week, since the agency serves as the local authority and direct point of contact in the region.

Contact Shea Johnson at sjohnson@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0272. Follow @Shea_LVRJ on Twitter.