Montana Will Receive an Additional 7,560 COVID Vaccine First Doses Next Week, Bringing Total Weekly Allotment to 41,610—Tester Announces

State slated to get 41,610 total doses, up from 34,050 last week, including more than 15,000 single-shot Johnson & Johnson doses

The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Service’s first dose COVID vaccine allotment is set to increase by 7,560 doses next week, U.S. Senator Jon Tester announced today. The state will receive 15,210 Pfizer first doses, 10,800 Moderna first doses, and an additional 9,500 Johnson & Johnson shots (for a total of 15,600), bringing the total set to arrive next week to 41,610 first doses, up from 34,050 last week.

These doses are specifically allocated to the state and do not include doses allocated to the Department of Veterans Affairs, Indian Health Services, or other federal programs delivered directly to Montana.

“Getting COVID vaccines into the arms of Montanans is the number one thing we can do to beat this virus and get our state’s economy up and running again, and news that Montana’s allocation of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccines is set to double is especially welcome, because it’ll help us reach that goal even faster,” Tester said. “I’ll keep pushing to ensure our supply of doses continues to increase, so that every Montanan who wants one can receive a vaccine free-of-charge and we can keep Montana’s economy heading in the right direction.”

Last month, Tester demanded that the Biden Administration distribute a fair share of vaccines to Montana after it was revealed that the state was receiving one of the lowest per capita allocations of coronavirus vaccines in the country, despite the state’s strong record of efficiently distributing shots. Following his efforts, Montana received a significant increase in COVID-19 vaccines.

Tester fought tirelessly to secure $20 billion as a part of the most recent COVID relief bill for vaccine production, procurement, and distribution that will help ensure every Montanan who wants a vaccine can receive one, and as Chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Tester also secured $17 billion in the COVID-19 relief package for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to vaccinate, support and protect veterans in Montana and across the country.

Tester saw the results of his work to secure vaccines for Montana firsthand in Kalispell this week, where he attended separate VA and Flathead County vaccination clinics – both of which were made possible thanks to Tester’s efforts.