Health official news to prepare for mass vaccination when COVID-19 vaccine becomes available

The question of when the COVID-19 vaccine will be ready remains unresolved, but local, state, and current federal health authorities are preparing high-dose vaccination plans when they are ready.

“Mass vaccination is a source of health and butter for the community. Health officials at the Burling County Health Department (BCHD) have recently met with the Health Commission on a large scale with H1N1 and very small with influenza vaccine each year. We carried out a large-scale dry run.

BCHD began developing a high-dose vaccination plan in March, preparing daily for the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Currently, it is estimated at the end of this year or early 2021, and will not be widely available until next fall, Directors of Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Told Congress last week.

CDC vaccination program Provisional playbookReleased last week, it states that the supply of COVID-19 vaccine may be restricted early in the COVID-19 vaccination program. The first vaccination effort is not only to have the highest risk of developing serious illness due to COVID-19, but also to have a direct impact on response, provide direct care and maintain social functioning. May be focused.

BCHD spokesperson Gillian Conrad said that the first vaccinations are for many interactions with healthcare professionals, doctors, nurses, first-time responders, and those who may have them. He said he was almost certain to be a person who did.

The next layer of vaccinated people is a high-risk, vulnerable population, such as those over the age of 65.

“We hope our community will include colorful people. As we know, this virus has affected them disproportionately,” Conrad said.

She said the federal vaccination program would help with guidance along with the state program.

“From our point of view at the local health department, we would actually push the needle into people’s arms,” ​​Conrad said. “What we really aspire to is a federal and state-wide coordinated plan.”

Lynn Sutfin, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services spokesmanMDHHS), The email department said that the vaccination department is working with several partners to develop a distribution plan for the COVID-19 vaccine.

“The initial rollout plan is expected to be a small allocation per CDC, specific to the highest priority group. Later, as additional vaccines become available, more partners will be included in the distribution. More groups will be included in the vaccination process, “she said.

Sutfin said plans are underway to include institutions and groups that are already cooperating to make the COVID-19 trial site a vaccination site once the priority levels and vaccine supply are known.

In addition, the vaccination department is preparing to register a provider as needed to receive and store the vaccine when it arrives.

According to Conrad, the Department of Health will partner with churches, schools, nonprofits and other community groups to set up clinics in convenient locations and times that are accessible to as many people as possible.

Other partners include practitioners, hospitals and pharmacies.

“Therefore, the goal is not just the responsibility of the local health department, but the immunization of as many people as possible,” Conrad said.

The last time the country had to mobilize high-dose vaccination was against H1N1, or swine flu.

Many editions of Herald Palladium from October 2009 to April 2010 mention the H1N1 vaccination clinic in southwestern Michigan.

In particular, one story from October 25, 2009 includes a rainy Saturday clinic at Lake Michigan College, where more than 1,500 people have been vaccinated.

Berlin Springs, attending the event, told HP reporters: Maybe something will happen, it may not, but you never know. Would you like to get ready right now? “

Conrad said he could get the COVID-19 vaccine because the immunity of the herd depends on how many people try to get it, even though it’s just spontaneous. He said it was a reason to be encouraged.

There are several different estimates of what the level of immunity in a herd should be before the country or world returns to normal.

Conrad said the speculative numbers that stabbed her were about 70 percent. About 70 people in the population must have the virus or have a vaccine.

However, there are still many uncertainties about how long the immunity to a person infected with the virus will last even if COVID-19 is not one year old.

“I hope the vaccine provides longer-term immunity, but I’m not sure,” Conrad said.

She pointed out the flu vaccine that changes every year.

“We don’t know that COVID-19 and the vaccine currently under development have been developed and are ready to pass clinical trials. All you have to do is get one vaccine, and every year. You may need to get one, “says Conrad.

On Monday, Johnson & Johnson planned to launch the largest COVID-19 vaccine trial, enrolling 60,000 participants. According to the New York Times.. The company may be able to decide by the end of the year whether the vaccine is safe and effective.

Conrad said these vaccine-making efforts are important in the United States and around the world. Without it, other means such as face covering, social distance and blockade would have to be introduced.

“It’s surprising that some clinical trials are already in Phase 3 clinical trials, as vaccine development usually takes years,” she said. “I don’t think we’ve ever made such a globally focused effort to achieve this in modern history. Everyone on the planet is heavily invested in having a vaccine. “