The Peoria area's two major hospital networks have exhausted the area's first COVID-19 vaccine shipment, beginning the inoculation process for 1,801 frontline health care workers.
That's according to Jennifer Hopwood, the Chief Nursing Officer at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center.
"At OSF Saint Francis Medical Center and our surrounding OSF locations in Peoria, we were able to vaccinate around 10% of our workforce that comes into contact with patients," Hopwood said.
Of the first shipment, two-thirds of total doses were distributed to OSF HealthCare. The other third was allocated to UnityPoint Health. Hopwood described it as an overall smooth process, with no adverse reactions among the 1,800 health workers vaccinated.
"We were able to vaccinate using all of the doses we were allocated with none wasted, before that five-day [expiration] mark was hit," she said, noting some of the vials received had enough doses to administer six vaccinations, instead of the five on the label.
A second booster dose is required 28 days after the initial vaccination. That booster shot must be made by the same manufacturer as the initial shot to be effective.
Hopwood said health care networks are expecting a "large shipment" of the recently-approved Moderna vaccine is anticipated directly from that company. Unlike the Moderna vaccine, the Pfizer vaccine requires specialized cold storage and was distributed via the state's medical stockpile.
The next shipment of vaccines hasn't yet arrived, but Hopwood said she's hopeful they will get here before Christmas.
Nursing homes and other long-term care facilities should receive their first Moderna vaccine shipments on Dec. 28.
That's according to Peoria City/County Health Department Administrator Monica Hendrickson, who recently got good news from the Illinois Department of Public Health after the FDA gave its final emergency use authorization to the vaccine.
"None of our local entities were disqualified at all," she said. "So that means everyone that registered is on the program. And hopefully we'll have vaccines in our long-term care facilities beginning on the 28th."
For long-term care, the Moderna vaccines will be shipped to individual facilities through the CVS and Walgreens distribution networks. The vaccines will be distributed on-site by facility staff, who began internal vaccine prioritization processes for residents several months ago.
Hendrickson said final guidance on future phases of vaccination will be forthcoming from the state. Frontline health workers and high-risk long-term care residents receive top priority. Members of the broader general public may not have an opportunity to receive a vaccine until spring or summer 2021 due to the limited supplies and high demand for essential workers and certain higher-risk groups, Hendrickson said.
We’re living in unprecedented times when information changes by the minute. WCBU will continue to be here for you, keeping you up-to-date with the live, local and trusted news you need. Help ensure WCBU can continue with its in-depth and comprehensive COVID-19 coverage as the situation evolves by making a contribution.
