[ad_1]
ROCHESTER, Minnesota (KTTC) – Mayo Vaccine Distribution Program Co-Head Dr. Abinash Virk says Mayo has the capacity to immunize up to 50,000 people per week.
However, the number of doses given each week much smaller than that who gets first is based on who is most at risk.
Admitting that a few Mayo telehealth workers could have been vaccinated by accident, Virk assures that this was not done intentionally and can be explained by other factors.
“State guidelines have changed, evolved, and pivot regularly on a frequent basis,” Virk said. “At the moment, I think it all depends on the vaccine supply.”
Mayo says he’s prioritized based on most of the risk from the start. This includes in December, when the vaccine was first available.
“Whether they were in the intensive care unit, the medical floor, lab workers, guards cleaning the room, and anyone who came into contact with COVID-19 patients,” Virk said.
Many community members cited examples of Mayo workers not coming to campus to get vaccinated before non-Mayo health care providers.
Anonymous advice to KTTC: “I personally know two people who have received the vaccine who, although they work in Mayo, have no contact with patients. These people are not frontline workers or essential workers. They are clearly entering phase 3. “
The KTTC advice line is inundated with people wanting to remain anonymous, all saying the same thing.
“It is possible that some people were categorized as facing patients or on campus when they may not have been,” said Virk. “This process was unfortunately not perfect.”
In general, Virk blames any off-duty vaccination of staff on the confusion and the rapid pace of vaccine deployment. She also says Mayo has not received direction from the state to vaccinate these healthcare workers outside of Mayo operations. But now they are ready to share.
“For our own health workers, when we have more vaccines, we will continue to vaccinate them, but allocate some of those doses to community members,” Virk said. “We are very happy to see them coming to get vaccinated this week.”
While state guidelines advise vaccinating anyone over 65, a new pilot program in Mayo starting this week reduces that.
“The advice we received was from 80 years who live in the counties we serve,” says Virk.
She says all of these dates are booked for the first week. Mayo plans to vaccinate about 1,800 people over the age of 80 this week.
Mayo doesn’t know how much vaccine will be allocated next week but hopes to complete her 6,000 patients over 80 as well as non-Mayo patients of the same age group in the coming weeks.
[ad_2]
Source link