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LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – CHI Health held a meeting to unveil its plan to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday.
As Pfizer and Moderna are currently asking the FDA for emergency vaccine use, officials believe the first vaccines should be available within the next week or two. These vaccines will focus on high risk populations and first responders. CEO Cliff Robertson said the first round of vaccines can be given to healthcare workers as early as the week of December 14. Officials say in the spring or early summer there should be enough shots for anyone to get the shot.
Additional ultra-low temperature freezers have been added at several key medical facilities to help transport and store vaccines. Currently, there are freezers at CHI Health St. Francis and CHI Health St. Elizabeth. Another will be sent to CHI Health Good Samaritan after Christmas. Vaccines can be stored in freezers for up to six months. They can contain a quarter of a million doses.
Both vaccines will require a second dose, between 21 and 28 days after the first. Logistically, the challenge for health systems that are going to vaccinate their staff or first responders will be to synchronize the second dose. Officials noted that the vaccine is not mandatory for employees or citizens.
According to officials, only a small percentage of patients who received the vaccine in the trial had side effects. These included muscle aches, pains, headaches, fever, and flu-like symptoms. Robertson said they plan to stagger the vaccines for their staff in case a staff member needs to take a day off the day after their vaccination.
Officials said the new technology is very effective, with a vaccine efficacy of 95%. Of the 44,000 participants in the Pfizer trial, only 170 developed COVID-19 infection (with a placebo or vaccine). Upon closer examination, only eight contracted COVID after receiving the vaccine. Robertson said the duration of the vaccine’s immunity was unclear. Further booster injections may be required in the future based on data from the general population vaccinated.
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