Public Health Measures Expected to Continue Until First Vaccine Distribution | Local News

As pharmaceutical companies seek approval for emergency use of the two COVID-19 vaccines, Colorado is ready to start with healthcare providers and implement plans to spread, store, and inoculate priority populations. I am.

If polls show that more than half of Coloradans may be resistant, complete logistics in distribution poses challenges such as securing freezing storage and persuading people to take a two-shot course. I will.

However, the emergence of vaccines that are expected to be at least 90% effective in the worst pandemic of 100 years does not mean that people can set aside the precautions advocated by public health authorities since March.

Colorado Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) officials said in a statement that not everyone will be vaccinated immediately.

This includes wearing a mask in public, keeping at least 6 feet of physical distance from non-family members, avoiding crowds, washing hands frequently, and staying home when sick. It is included.

News was reported on November 9th The drug company Pfizer’s vaccine was said to be 90% effective in preventing COVID-19 infection.

by UCHealth Today, An independent safety and data monitoring committee reported on November 16 that early results from the Moderna Phase 3 clinical trial showed that the company’s vaccine was 94.5 percent effective.

According to experts, urgent approval of vaccines from the US Food and Drug Administration may occur from mid-December to late December.

According to Pfizer’s website, the company plans to produce up to 50 million vaccines in 2020 and up to 1.3 billion in 2021. This is a two-step shot, with 25 million people protected in the first production, with the first vaccine followed by booster immunization 28 days later.

A booster shot is also required for the Moderna vaccine. The company expects to be ready to ship approximately 20 million shipments in the United States by the end of the year. We plan to administer 500 to 1 billion doses worldwide next year.

Both vaccines need to be kept very cold. Pfizer is minus 70 degrees Celsius and Moderna is 20 degrees Celsius, which is similar to a standard freezer. This causes problems in rural areas where there may not be enough storage space.

However, CDPHE has identified 16 locations where the first shipment of vaccine can be received. “Some of these locations are already equipped with existing ultra-low temperature freezers,” the agency said in an email. “CDPHE will purchase and distribute 10 more ultra-low temperature freezers.”

UC Health, which operates a municipal memorial hospital, currently owns and purchases an ultra-low freezer.

UC Health spokesman Cary Vogrin said through an email plan that he wants to stage the freezer in some hospitals through coordination with CDPHE. “I don’t know when and how much vaccination I can get, but I’m staging the freezer and organizing the logistics so I’m ready to start vaccination for certain healthcare professionals or high-risk individuals. “She says.

CBS4 Denver reported that Colorado vaccine allocation is based on a percentage of the population. That is, the state initially receives about 670,000 vaccines and serves 335,000 people.

In Covid-19 on page 100 CDPHE details how the distribution will take place in the vaccination plan dated October 16.

The first shipment is directed to the “early important group”. They include, in order of priority and estimated number of people: Inpatient health care workers who may be exposed to or treated by people with COVID-19 (182,884). Outpatient health care workers, including home health care workers and outpatient pharmacists, as well as EMS, firefighters, police, public health personnel and correction workers (101,708). The top priority is for people living in caregivers, long-term care, and long-term care facilities (46,941).

That’s a total of 331,533, about the same number of vaccines the state expects to receive in the first round.

The second highest priority is apartment workers such as homeless shelters, group homes and students living in university dormitories, as well as grocery workers, teachers, childcare providers and meat stuffing employees. An indispensable worker. They are estimated to be 669,063.

Next in line are 2,343,851 high-risk people, including adults over the age of 65, obesity, diabetes, chronic lung disease, heart disease, and other immunocompromised adults. Lastly, there are non-high-risk civilians between the ages of 18 and 64, with an estimated total of 1,937,711 in the state.

The timeline for vaccination to the second, third and fourth priorities is unknown. Some experts estimate that the vaccine will not be widely available until mid-2021.

According to CDPHE, public institutions and private companies will work together to administer the vaccine. Hospitals and public health agencies administer the vaccine first.

“As vaccines become more widely available, the network of COVID-19 vaccine providers will expand to include clinics, pharmacies, homeless shelters, colleges / universities, senior centers, school-based health centers, and other health care centers. Medical locations will be included, “says the state.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will also partner with CVS and Walgreens to set up an on-site COVID-19 vaccination service for residents of nursing homes and life support facilities once vaccination is recommended.

CDPHE is not so Given the obligation of the COVID-19 vaccine, it means that thousands of Colorados may not be vaccinated.

The· Colorado sun A poll reported in September showed that state residents were reluctant to take part in the vaccine.

On November 17, the American Medical Association’s delegation announced a policy to educate doctors to talk to patients about the COVID-19 vaccine. Calling such education an “urgent priority,” AMA helps physicians “address patient concerns, dispel false information, and build confidence in COVID-19 vaccination.” I swore.

However, Dr. Kelly Moore, Deputy Director of Vaccination Education for the Nonprofit Vaccination Behavior Coalition, said these polls may not currently reflect public sentiment.

“Last week, there were many changes in the two vaccines that showed a much better initial effect than we expected with COVID-19,” she says. Indy on the phone. “It may change people’s calculations.”

However, there is not much time to educate the general public as the vaccine is likely to be used in December. Moore hopes that healthcare providers will be able to effectively communicate the urgency of taking vaccines to the public. Meanwhile, she warns. “It will take some time, months, for most to get the opportunity to get vaccinated. Therefore, people cannot expect a sudden change in COVID. It takes months. During that time, people are healthy. You need to be prepared to maintain good habits. “

Phoebe Lostrow, a professor of microbiology at the University of Colorado, said that if enough people refused the vaccine, some risk groups might have to limit their destinations and wear masks indefinitely. Is warned.

In addition, she states that avoiding vaccines can have long-term consequences. “Because viruses continue to evolve when they infect them. [unvaccinated] The consequences of people and their evolution are unpredictable with our current knowledge. ”