First COVID Vaccine Dosage Expected Here This Week | News

Arizonas in the highest-priority category of risk or need can receive their first COVID-19 vaccine this week.

But for the next few weeks, the risk is not gone. And it is not until summer or early autumn that everyone who wants to get vaccinated will be able to get vaccinated.

Pima and Maricopa counties split the initial allocation of COVID-19 vaccine in Arizona, but in rural areas we need to wait a bit longer.

Steve Elliott, a spokesman for the State Health Services Department, said it was not a problem to determine whether urban residents were eligible for higher priority. He said it was a matter of practicality.

The first set of vaccines to arrive is from Pfizer and should be kept at -70 degrees Celsius, or about 94 degrees below zero on the Fahrenheit scale. It requires access to special equipment.

And there is a requirement that shipments come in a minimum dose of 975.

“The large lots and handling requirements for Pfizer vaccines make it suitable for places where many people can be vaccinated in one place for a limited period of time,” Elliott said.

Maricopa County will be given 46,800 doses and Pima will be given 11,700 doses by the end of December.

Vaccine developed by Moderna. It should be kept at minus 20 degrees Celsius or minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit, like a regular freezer. Moderna ships vaccines in lots of at least 100 pieces.

State health officials report that 593 healthcare providers have completed the approval process and are certified to begin vaccination upon arrival. There are more than 1,200 in the pipeline.

They also reported that all skilled nursing facilities in Arizona chose to participate in a program by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide vaccinations to all residents and staff.

A second dose is required within 21 or 28 days for both vaccines to be fully effective.

In state planning, vaccination is a top priority for healthcare professionals, especially those who work directly with patients. The first group also includes home care assistants, nursing assistants, and medical assistants.

After that, residents of a skilled care facility and a living center with independent support will come.

Second-priority people include adults with high-risk medical conditions who live in shelters or other collective living environments.

Then there are about 146,000 teachers, along with police, prison officers and other emergency response workers.

This group also includes other people working in the school, such as bus drivers, cafeteria workers, and front office staff dealing with children.

Then there will be utilities workers, people in the food industry such as grocery stores and restaurants, transport workers like driving trucks and buses, and gas station employees.

The second group also includes other “essential workers,” the state says, which includes everything from financial services to funeral home employees.

The next priority is about 2.3 million Arizonas with underlying illnesses such as obesity, heart disease and chronic lung disease. Second, there are more than 1.2 million Arizonas aged 65 and over who are not in the high-priority group.

This category also includes those that are limited to prisons and prisons. However, Christ said that prisoners with an underlying medical condition may be personally transferred to higher categories.

It leaves everyone else as supplies become available and as people choose to get vaccinated.

State Health Director Dr. Cara Christ said he knew that some people would refuse to run a public relations campaign for those who seemed to be the most hesitant.

All this assumes that the vaccine delivery and administration system works as planned.

“So it is very important that we continue to take precautions to ensure that everyone is protected after vaccination,” Christ said.

She said there are steps in place to ensure that people come back for a second dose.

Even after servicing everyone who wants to be vaccinated, that doesn’t end the problem.

“What we don’t know is how long that immunity lasts,” Christ said.

She could be in a situation like the flu where people have to be re-vaccinated on a regular basis, or it could be a measles-like situation where they need a “booster” after a period of time He said he had sex.

“Such kind of research is still underway,” Christ said.

Christ said the nation had no plans to force anyone to fire. But she said that employers, especially those whose workers do business with the general public, especially vulnerable employers, are free to impose such requirements.

The government provides the vaccine free of charge to those who agree to receive the vaccine. And she said the insurance company agreed to waive off-network deductions for what the provider charges to give the shot.