More than 3,600 healthcare providers in Humboldt County Phase IA have received their first COVID-19 vaccine since the first shipment arrived in the country in mid-December. The administration of the remaining 2000 doses in the first round will continue tomorrow.
Public Health is working closely with the country’s Emergency Surgery Center to set up clinics to continue administering first doses to the remaining people in the Phase 1A category, which still includes healthcare-related institutions. The invitation clinics will run three days a week for the next six weeks and will include vaccinations of healthcare staff from offices that are not part of a larger healthcare business such as a hospital or clinic network.
Second doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which include a primer dose, followed by a booster shot 21 days and 28 days later respectively, arrive in the country and will be administered from this week.
While public health expects to ingest between 1,000 and 2,000 vaccines weekly, dr. Ian Hoffman, a Humboldt County health officer, said: “When the second doses arrive, the arrival of the first doses may be delayed, which we saw happen this week.”
He said planning for distribution continues. St. Joseph Hospital, Mad River Community Hospital, Jerold Phelps Community Hospital, Southern Humboldt Community Healthcare District, United Indian Health Services, Open Door Community Health Center, Southern Trinity Health Services and the Public Health Branch are licensed by the state to administer the vaccine serve. .
‘The first step was for each agency to have its own qualifying staff. They are now leaving to administer vaccine to other qualifying providers, and there are thousands of them, “Dr. Hoffman said, adding that vaccinators at Mad River and St. Joseph hospitals will shift the focus to second doses to staff. to serve.
Although public health’s primary role is to coordinate the distribution of the vaccines and to manage the contact detection of positive COVID-19 cases, public health nurses have set up to vaccinate, if necessary, and administered dozens of vaccines this past weekend. employees at local competent nursing homes. and will also operate the vaccination clinics.
Dr. Hoffman said he hopes the vaccination of the next phase will begin sometime towards the end of winter, but stresses that it depends on many factors. “We rely on how many doses we get, and we continue to plan with a lot of contingencies in mind,” he said. ‘Every agency licensed to administer vaccine has many different responsibilities for our community. It is important that we do not overwhelm the system that also looks after our society. ”