Ohio County Healthcare prepares for vaccine

The COVID-19 vaccine is on its way to Ohio County.

Ohio County Healthcare could be receiving its first shipment of the FDA newly approved Moderna COVID-19 vaccinations as soon as this week, according to OCH Director of Community Relations CeCe Robinson.

OCH had originally been informed it would get its shipment of the vaccine on Dec. 28, but Robinson said they were informed by the Kentucky Department of Health that the vaccine could come as early as this week.

“We did receive our vaccination kits which is a strong indication that the vaccines will soon follow,” Robinson said Tuesday morning.

She anticipates OCH will receive 300-500 Moderna vaccine doses. Since the vaccine requires two doses be administered to each recipient, Robinson said the goal will be to vaccinate approximately 150 employees to assure there are two doses for each person.

Phase 1 - Tier 1 administration of the vaccine will include frontline healthcare workers, which includes emergency medical services, and OCH’s goal is to begin mass vaccinations of its employees Jan. 2. However, Robinson said they may begin a small group of individual vaccinations next week. Those who will receive the first vaccinations, she said, are frontline healthcare workers who have direct contact with COVID-19 patients at both the hospital and testing sites. Others will be prioritized based on level of exposure.

The Moderna vaccine is equally effective as the Pfizer vaccine, but doesn’t require storage at the extremely low temperatures required by Pfizer, Robinson said. Moderna also packages its doses in lower quantities which is more convenient for the hospital’s needs, Robinson said.

Both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccination require two doses, the priming dose followed by a booster, administered in the arm.

Moderna’s two-dose series is to be separated by 28 days. Pfizer’s two-dose series is to be separated by 21 days.

Moderna’s vaccine must be shipped at -4 degrees and Pfizer’s must be shipped and stored at -94 degrees. After thawing, a vial of the Pfizer vaccine must be used within five days. Moderna’s is good for 30 days.

On Monday, Gov. Andy Beshear announced that several long-term care facilities in the commonwealth began administering the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

“Today we celebrate another great and hopeful day in our battle against COVID-19,” Gov. Beshear said. “Long-term care residents and the front-line staff who care for them are beginning to receive the life-saving Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Since two-thirds of coronavirus deaths in Kentucky come from long-term care facilities, these vaccinations – a modern-day medical miracle – have the real potential to save lives and significantly reduce COVID-19’s burden on our health care system.”

The CDC estimates completion of vaccine distribution to long-term care facility residents within the next four-to-five weeks.

Gov. Andy Beshear and First Lady Britainy Beshear along with other top state officials received their initial vaccine on Tuesday morning.

The state of Kentucky was allocated 23,475 COVID-19 vaccine doses to be administered in Phase 1. As of Tuesday morning, Kentucky had administered 7,319 COVID-19 vaccines statewide.

The Kentucky COVID-19 vaccination plan, those included in the initial focus of the vaccination, are those in long-term care facilities and healthcare personnel and first responders likely to be exposed to or treat people with COVID-19 followed by essential workers and workers in high public contact jobs such as social service support workers, grocery workers and transportation workers and people at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19, including those with underlying medical conditions and people 65 years of age and older.