The news is encouraging. Chaffee County Public Health (CCPH) announced this afternoon that it is receiving 100 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and they could arrive here as early as mid-December.
The federal government determined the vaccine allocation based on the state’s total population and the quantity of ready-to-ship doses from the manufacturers. The first shipment across the U.S. from the federal government will be 46,800 doses of the Pfizer vaccine. The second shipment across the U.S. will be 95,600 of the Moderna vaccine, which includes Chaffee County.
The State of Colorado determined the number of doses going to each county/location by surveying each facility’s need for phase one. At a county level, CCPH has been working with Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center and Chaffee County Emergency Medical Services to specifically identify those in our community who will be first in line for this COVID-19 vaccine.
“Chaffee County residents need to remember that although the vaccine process is in motion, we are still months away from a time when we can resume life as we once knew it, before the pandemic,” said CCPH Director Andrea Carlstrom. “We each need to continue to practice the five commitments of containment and limit our interactions with others outside of the household now and throughout the holiday season.”
All COVID-19 vaccines are required to go through a rigorous scientific evaluation before the manufacturer applies to the FDA for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). Some manufacturers are still in line, waiting for FDA approval. Each phase of the evaluation has includee three different clinical research studies, in which people volunteered to be part of the study.
The three phases of distribution for Chaffee County are based upon population:
Phase One
CCPH and other providers in Chaffee County will be getting a small supply of vaccines. CCPH will receive its vaccines from Moderna, while other key partners (including Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center) will receive from both Moderna and Pfizer.
No matter which manufacturer, these first vaccines will be for the community’s highest-risk populations, as well as frontline healthcare workers and responders. This will include residents and staff at long-term care facilities.
Phase Two
The second phase will most likely be for higher-risk workers and essential workers, as defined by the State of Colorado. Immunosuppressed individuals are included in phase two. However, CCPH recommends that this population speak with their doctor(s) regarding any specific questions related to the vaccine.
Phase Three
The third phase will be given to the general public. The vaccines are two doses spaced 21-28 days apart. Each vaccinated individual should acquire immunity within a month’s time.
CCPH will host its first COVID-19 vaccination clinic as soon as supplies become available. Per CDC’s guidelines, CCPH will be giving vaccine recipients a “V-SAFE” information sheet at the time of vaccination.
While some COVID-19 symptoms may manifest in some vaccine recipients, the effects should not be long lasting. Report vaccine side effect to the entities named below:
- V-SAFE — a smartphone-based tool that uses text messaging and web surveys to provide personalized health check-ins after someone receives a COVID-19 vaccination.Through V-SAFE, vaccine recipients can quickly tell CDC if they have any side effects after getting the COVID-19 vaccine. V-SAFE will also remind patients to get their second COVID-19 vaccine dose, if needed.
- Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS). VAERS is a reporting system co-sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), FDA and agencies of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
In the near future, CCPH will make an announcement about its upcoming vaccination clinics with instructions on how to sign up. CCPH will also provide instructions for caregivers.
For further details about the COVID-19 vaccine, visit https://covid19.colorado.gov/vaccine. For frequently asked questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, visit https://covid19.colorado.gov/vaccine-faq.
For questions about the COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan for Chaffee County, contact CCPH at health@chaffeecounty.org.
Featured image, by Judy Schmidt for the Centers for Disease Control: a man receiving an intramuscular immunization from a nurse. Vaccinations are most often given via the intramuscular route in the deltoid or thigh muscle, to optimize the immune response of the vaccine and reduce the adverse reactions in and around the injection site.
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