Washington And Idaho Hospitals Receive COVID Vaccine, Prepare To Administer Shots

QUICK LINKS:

–Washington Vaccine Distribution Information (Dept. of Health)

–Idaho Vaccine Distribution Information 

–Development Of COVID Vaccines (U.S. FDA)

–Coronavirus News, Updates, Resources (NWPB)

Hospitals in Washington and Idaho started receiving shipments of Pfizer’s Covid vaccine Monday.

They include the Providence hospitals in Spokane, overseen by Elaine Couture.

“I don’t know if the vaccine is actually here right at the moment, but it is expected in Spokane at Sacred Heart today,” Couture said earlier on Monday. “Our plans are to start the vaccination process with those people that are the high risk for our health care workers beginning on Monday.”

Other hospitals will begin immunizing people later this week. For example, Confluence Health in Chelan County, plans to start giving shots on Thursday.

At MultiCare’s facilities in Pierce County, health care workers were receiving training Monday on the specifics of administering this vaccine. MultiCare’s safety and nursing officer, June Alteras, says pharmacists are learning how to mix the doses and nurses are hearing about the specifics of administering them.

“Everyone is to be watched for 15 minutes after they receive the vaccine. For people who have had reactions in the past, they’re to have 30-minute observation period of time. Our team is all ready to go but so far it’s all been on paper and so we’re actually going to practice it today,” Alteras said, with a goal of beginning vaccinations on Friday.

Cassie Sauer with the Washington State Hospital Association says one of the challenges will be keeping the Pfizer vaccine cold enough to be effective. Many rural hospitals, she says, don’t have the necessary cold storage facilities.

The initial 62,000 doses in Washington will go to health workers and people in long-term care facilities. It will be months before it is available to the broader population.

Later this week, the FDA will review the application for emergency use for another vaccine from the company Moderna.

As Olympia correspondent Austin Jenkins reported on Sunday:

“The first doses will go to approximately 40 facilities in 29 of Washington’s 39 counties with a focus on health care workers most at risk for contracting the virus, like those who intubate patients, and the highest risk first responders.

Other priority groups in this first tier — or 1a — category include people in long-term care facilities. Some of the initial doses will also be distributed to two tribal nations and one urban Indian health facility, according to Michele Roberts, an acting assistant Secretary of Health who is coordinating Washington’s vaccine distribution.”

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