Central Planning Covid Vaccinations, 2/27/21
[11 Replies]
I just had a long argument about central planning of the
Covid vaccine. The occasion for this argument is that I
drove someone to the other side of Phoenix for a 5:30am
appointment. Why 5:30? Because the government is doling
out doses €˜round the clock.

I marshalled all the facts. Were nearly 3 months into
this exercise in central planning. And even people
classified in the first priority group, due to age or
medical condition, must wait a month or longer and take
whatever time slot may be open such as 5:30. Oh yeah be
there 15 minutes ahead of time. Did I mention its nearly
an hour drive even without traffic at Oh Dark Thirty?

I showed him that we dont have this problem with flu
vaccines. I described how companies like Nintendo can
manufacture and distribute tens of millions of units in
a short time window for Christmas.

He said that Israel has given the vaccine to over 90% of
its population. I said its absolutely true that central
planners can deliver great outcomes, if you look only at
the €œseen€�. What you must overlook is the €œunseen€�€”the
obscene cost. Government bureaucracies can deliver what
appears to be the outcome of a free market. But the cost
is a hundred times higher. They can squander the wealth
that would be enriching the Israel people in 99 other
ways€”in order to deliver vaccines.

He said now that Biden is in charge, of course its not
efficient. I said government cannot do what he wants, no
matter who is in charge. This is because government does
not have any of the incentives, systems, processes,
management culture, or other characteristics that make it
possible for Pfizer or Nintendo to distribute something
quickly and inexpensively.

In Glendale, the government has quite an operation going.
There were 100s of people (maybe more) waving flashlights
to each car to direct them to their respective lanes.
Then when one lane would move a bit faster, they directed
some cars to switch lanes. This was repeated in between
each stage, where workers would ask for the appointment-
card-holders name, date of birth, etc. Theyd write
something on the windshield, but who knows why because
the next station would ask the same questions. With more
flashlight wavers directing cars to switch lanes.

I asked if I could get a shot. For a while, people in the
same car with an appointment-card-holder were getting
vaccinated. But the Coalition of the Concerned or whatever
this group calls itself, was outraged€”Outraged€”that anyone
could get vaccinated prior to being assigned a number.
So no joy.

The waste of everyones time, not to mention the labor of
what must be thousands of people working 5 shifts a week,
was staggering. Stupefying. But no worries, its all free.

I explained to this vaccine-card-holder that the purpose of
central planning of vaccine distribution is not efficiency.
He could not disagree, having seen a small bit of the
inefficiency for himself. I said the purpose is to keep
Pfizer from making too much money, and to keep the rich
from getting vaccinated too quickly.

After he got his shot, there was more zigzagging in lanes,
like the line for Immigration Control at an airport, only
with cars and trucks. And more flashlight-waving workers.
We then were told that this was intentional, because after
the shot they want to make sure the newly-vaccinated have
15 minutes to verify there is no anaphylactic shock.
Snaking back and forth in cars, because waiting for shock!
A solution only a government planner could concoct.

After that, another worker washed off the numbers on
the windshield. And we were free to go.

The newly-vaccinated person in the passenger seat said he
was sorry I couldnt get it too. I said no bread today,
comrade. Govt rationing turns everyone into supplicants,
begging for their supper (& resenting those ahead of them
in line, especially when the store runs out).

He saw all of this. And agreed. So it his next reaction
was particularly disappointing.

I said we should have a free market in vaccines, & Pfizer
(& Moderna & Johnson & Johnson) could produce & sell as
much as they want, set their own prices, distribute thru
whatever channels they want. He reacted to this, €œI dont
know about that. We have to make sure that everyone, even
the poor, get vaccinated or else this public health prob
will persist. If the drug co's made it very expensive,
then the poor couldnt afford it€¦€�

The issue here is not economic. No one thinks that the
free market in food has made food so expensive that the
poor starve. This guy pointed out that drugs are expensive.
But he did not want to hear that the govt makes them
expensive by its licensing & regulation. He defended that
by saying, €œwell, we have to prevent pharmaceutical
companies from selling bad drugs.€�

The govt controls everyone in the Covid vaccine game.
From Pfizer to the medical professionals to the people,
everyone is acting under government orders. Pfizer is
commanded how much to produce, & when & where to ship
how many doses. Providers are directed who to vaccinate
(if they get any doses at all, which many arent, which
is why everyone drives to Glendale to a stadium parking lot
to get vaccinated€”those lucky few who get a number).
People are eventually given a number, a permission slip
to get vaccinated, & everyone else is not allowed to get
it, even if they could pay. Pfizer is not allowed to
sell it to them.

I'm told that Pfizer is being allowed to make some money.
I dont know if $20 a dose makes or loses money for them.
Maybe. I do know that the rich, the middle class, & the
poor are being kept from being vaccinated. Which I'm
told is to ensure that everyone gets vaccinated.

I just could not get him to question his idea that, well,
the govt has to step in to ensure the right outcome. At
least in certain important things, like the Covid vaccine.
Sure, we could risk something unimportant like Mario Bros.
to the capabilities of free people in a free market. But
not something important like a vaccine!

The issue is not efficiency or economics. Its not for the
sake of convenience or cost. He could see that the govt
was making a dogs dinner out of it.

It was just an ineffable feeling, a pre-moral sense that
this is Right. And besides, there is a genuine shortage of
vaccines, so how else could we get it to those who most need it?

https://keithweinereconomics.com/202...-vaccinations/