CLEVELAND, Ohio – Mayor Frank Jackson equates the development of his administration a coronavirus vaccination program to build a home and design at the same time.
According to the mayor, the state said who should be vaccinated – and in what order – but it was left to the local health departments to find out how to do it. And Cleveland is designing a phase-out rollout as prescribed by the state, using the doses as made available by the state.
“We do our job and do it in a very systematic way,” the mayor said.
Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer interviewed Jackson; Brian Kimball, Interim Director of Public Health; and Tracy Martin-Thompson, head of prevention, intervention and opportunity for youth and young adults, to gain a better understanding of the scope of the city’s vaccination program and how it is being implemented.
How many vaccines has the city received so far?
The state sent a total of 6,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine in three different deliveries. For safety reasons, the vaccines are kept in an unknown place.
How many people have the city health department vaccinated so far?
As of Wednesday, the city had vaccinated 1,240 people with the first of two shots. Each person is scheduled to return within 28 days to get their second chance.
From December 24 to December. 29, the city vaccinated 660 people. 580 more shots fired from Wednesday. Another 400 vaccines are expected to be administered by the end of the week.
Who has been vaccinated so far?
Those who received vaccines included EMS responses and firefighters, health care providers who do not work at hospitals, and certain nursing and medical students.
The first phase also includes about 2,500 staff and residents of the more than 270 community centers in the city that are not part of federal pharmacy programs. People 65 and older, school workers and people with underlying health conditions will follow soon.
How many city workers have been vaccinated?
About 40 percent of the city’s 1,045 EMS responders and firefighters were vaccinated during the week of Dec. 24-29, according to Martin-Thompson. She said it was unclear how many did not want to be vaccinated. Some get shots this week and others can be vaccinated later, she said.
Does the city recommend employees to be vaccinated?
Yes, according to Jackson, but getting the vaccine is not a condition of service.
“Our job is to administer it,” he said. “Their job is to make the choice.”
Jackson said the city is focusing more on figuring out how the infrastructure can be set up so the city can vaccinate people according to state regulations.
Where are the shots given?
The city has set up a vaccination area Public hall staffed by about 70 city employees and volunteers. As more doses of the vaccine come from the state and other phases of the program begin, the city expects to open six additional vaccination areas, Jackson said. Probably there are a number of the 22 recreation centers in the city, according to him.
The plan is also to staff mobile units that can go to municipal institutions such as high senior centers.
“We are building infrastructure, administering the vaccine, but also working with partners to bring about collaboration,” Jackson said.
How are appointments scheduled?
The city identifies those who are eligible to be vaccinated during each phase and plans appointments. One way city officials do this Martin-Thompson said to meet with health care providers and get a list of workers who want a chance.
Also, social workers will be deployed to centers of community centers to determine how many residents want shots and whether they can come to the vaccination center to receive it or be sent as a mobile unit.
Additional aspects of the scheduling process still need to be worked out, Martin-Thompson said.
What happens at the vaccination site?
Registrants are checked on arrival at the vaccination center to make sure they meet the requirements. A medical examination is also done to see if there are any allergies or other conditions.
The shot is given and the receiver is observed for 15 minutes to see if there are adverse reactions. The whole process takes about 45 minutes.
Jackson said the staff was very careful about the administration of the vaccine and the proper record keeping.
Are any vaccines discarded?
No. If at the end of the day, doses not used because people do not keep their appointments, the vaccines are given on-premises to staff who are in the group currently eligible to receive it, Kimball said.
Unused doses cannot be returned to coolers, and city councilors asked last week whether the health department would be forced to throw away doses. Jackson said no vaccines should be discarded.
How much does the vaccination program cost?
Jackson said the ultimate cost is unknown, “but we know what it’s going to be.”