For the moment, we’ll have to wait to determine how well the federal government is handling the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccinations.

Recent reports noted that plans to get 100 million vaccinations during President Joe Biden’s first 100 days in office as well as 300 million vaccinations by late July are on track. We’ll have to check back on that progress, but this is good news.

On the other hand, state efforts regarding the vaccine rollout could use fine-tuning.

Although a massive undertaking like this is a challenging venture, there have been issues across the board.

On Friday, the state’s acting secretary of health, Alison Beam, said there has been frustration for many who are attempting to get vaccinated.

In response, the state has issued new orders that require providers to administer 80% of their first doses of vaccine within seven days of receipt.

While failing to do so wouldn’t prevent providers from receiving second doses, it could lead to their allocation of first doses being reduced.

It seems unusual that with such a demand for the vaccines — and with reports of a backup in obtaining one — that providers would not be able to administer the required number of doses within an assigned time frame.

So, it’s good the state is issuing requirements regarding how many doses must be given in a specific time period.

However, it’s difficult to see the reasoning behind reports last week that the state Department of Health will cut the number of places where vaccines are distributed.

According to reports, lower volume distribution locales will be phased out in the coming weeks.

While this makes sense in theory, the fact that some sites are drawing lower numbers doesn’t mean the demand isn’t there.

Even if the number of pharmacies, hospitals and other medical centers where people can get vaccinated is reduced, the state had better ensure the remaining sites are able to inoculate more people, and that the scheduling apparatuses of those sites are ready for increased volume.

And if vaccination locations are eliminated, transportation should be provided to seniors who are inconvenienced as a result.

In other words, the state should make sure the sites that remain for inoculation are meeting the 80% threshold for first doses within a week.

If the state merely closes several hundred sites for a highly sought vaccine, but doesn’t ensure the remaining sites pick up the slack, progress in Pennsylvania’s vaccine distribution will continue to be slow.

We understand that the enormity of this undertaking has few modern parallels, but if there’s one thing the state gets right in 2021, it needs to be this.

— NCD