HOSPITALS WAIT FOR VACCINE SHIPMENTS
Pfizer distributed vaccine last week with newly authorized Moderna vaccine coming
SALINAS >> As Monterey County COVID-19 indicators continue to trend upward and the first vaccinations were administered in area hospitals over the past few days, eyes are on when the next shipments will become available and who is next in line for the vaccine.
Sa lina s Valley Memor ial Healthcare System and Natividad hospital in Salinas, as well as Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula in Monterey and Mee Memorial Hospital in King City expect to receive their first shipment of the Moderna vaccine this week.
The Moderna kits, which include needles, syringes, and alcohol swabs, have arrived at Salinas Valley Memorial and the facility expects the vac
cine from Moderna to arrive on Wednesday. Community Hospital also reported receiving its kits for the vaccine, for which the Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization on Friday.
“We started vaccinating our front-line workers on Thursday and continued vaccinating throughout the weekend,” said Carl a Spencer, Salinas Valley Memorial’s associate chief nursing officer. “So far, we have vaccinated over 650 hospital employees who work in the high- risk areas of the hospital and in direct contact with COV ID - 19 patients.”
Last week, Salinas Valley Memorial, Natividad and Community Hospital each received their first allotment of 975 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, with each beg inning to administer them to frontline hospital workers shortly after. Mee Memorial is not outfitted with an ultra- cold freezer to store the vaccine, so it did not receive a Pfizer allotment.
Vaccination is voluntary and not mandatory.
“We strongly recommend our staff members all receive the vaccine using the( Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and( California Department of Public Health) guidelines ,” said Dr. Chad Harris, Natividad’s director of quality. “We are vaccinating health care personnel who are at the forefront of this pandemic. Based on the information we have reviewed, we are confident that this vaccine will help protect them, their families and our patients from COVID-19.”
Both the Pfizer and Modern a vaccines require two inoculations days apart,\ and cannot be mixed, meaning that if a person receives the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, they cannot receive a second dose of the Moderna vaccine. Both vaccines are about 95% effective at preventing COVID-19.
“As of Monday morning, more than 500 vaccines had been administered ,” said Brenda Moore, a Community Hospital spokesperson. “We have two more days of vaccination clinics scheduled, using the 975 Pfizer vaccines we received.”
Moore said that all staff at the hospital continue to wear and use appropriate personal protective equipment, regardless of whether they receive the vaccine, which helps ensure the safety of patients and staff.
But even as vaccine distribution ramps up, Monterey County continues to see a rise in coronavirus cases. The county health department reported an increase of 1,099 cases of COVID-19 Monday for a total of 23,582 since the star t of the pandemic. There was one death reported Monday for a total of 178 fatalities from the virus reported in Monterey County.
Harris said that based on the information Natividad hospital has reviewed, it is confident the vaccines will help protect hospital staff, their families and patients from COVID-19.
“Healthcare providers and skilled nursing facility residents and staff are still being vaccinated,” said Karen Smith, a spokesperson for the county health department .“Next will be more essential workers.”
Smith said the COVID-19 vaccination campaign has officially begun in Monterey County and is following a prioritized framework in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and the California Department of Public Health guidance.
Due to the limited supply of vaccines currently available, healthcare workers who are at risk for exposure to COVID-19 have been prioritized into three tiers:
Tier 1: Hospital staff, long- term care facilities staff and residents, emergency medical services staff and dialysis center staff.
Tier 2: Intermediate care facilities staff, home health care staff, commu
“As of Monday morning, more than 500 vaccines had been administered. We have two more days of vaccination clinics scheduled, using the 975 Pfizer vaccines we received.” — Brenda Moore, a Community Hospital spokesperson
nity health workers, public health field staff and primary care clinic staff.
Tier 3: Specialty clinic staff, dental clinic staff and pharmacy staff.
“As the availability of vaccines increases, the health department will be working directly with organizations that comprise each tier to coordinate vaccinating their staff,” said Smith. “After the vaccination of health care workers has been completed, the vaccination campaign will then shift to essential workforce personal and highrisk individuals to be defined by (the California Department of Public Health).”
Further information about the vaccination campaign can be found at www.covid19.ca.gov/vaccines.
Smith said there is ongoing planning for both the short- term, such as where the current shipment is going, and longterm planning for what possible distribution will look like, including vaccination clinics.
“There is a team at the health department that meets to discuss how and where vaccine is going,” said Smith. “The Health Department had to submit a plan to the state regarding vaccination distribution.”
Smith said that since supplies of the vaccines are just star ting to be distributed, there is no date certain for any of the priority levels at this time and that the county health department will post a graphic that indicates where the county is in vaccination distribution.