LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – The initial distribution plan for the COVID-19 vaccine included those most at risk, health workers, first responders and those in long-term care settings. But doses were handed out to the public at a Lexington Walgreens during the Christmas holidays.
Late Monday afternoon, we heard from Walgreens about their distribution plans for the COVID-19 vaccine. They said the general public is not able to receive the doses, but it appears that this has happened.
Over the weekend, we reported on doses of the COVID-19 vaccine available to the general public in the Walgreens on Lane Allen. A Walgreens spokesman said they continue to work with long-term care facilities to meet their vaccination needs as part of the CDC’s Pharmacy Partnership.
They also said that Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine could only last five days at chilled temperatures, and they did not want doses to go to waste.
They said the remaining doses of scheduled clinics in Kentucky were reallocated and used on Christmas Eve in clinics that would originally take place later.
Additional doses are then offered to local first responders, Walgreens pharmacy and store members, and community residents. That would explain how people could get the COVID vaccine at that pharmacy over the weekend.
‘In the future, if it can not be given back to a long-term care facility, if it happens again, we will provide additional guidance for those at greatest risk so that the pharmacy can provide it to. But again, under all the policies that have been put in place, this should not have happened. “I do not think it was intentional, but it had to be done differently,” said Governor Andy Beshear.
Earlier today, Mayor Linda Gorton and Health Commissioner Dr. Kraig Humbaugh, the COVID-19 vaccine at the Fayette County Department of Health. About an hour before that would happen, they canceled the event and said they wanted to wait until it was more available so that the doses could go to those who really needed it.
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