Aria Health-Bucks, The Medical Center at Woods and Grand View Hospital in Bucks County received doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine last week. It was to be distributed to healthcare workers as outlined in the state’s interim vaccine distribution plan. This brings the total to 109 hospitals to date that have received the vaccine.
“Each day, hospitals will be shipped vaccine directly from Pfizer and will begin administering it to healthcare workers at the hospital,” said Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine. “The hospitals receiving shipments enrolled to be COVID-19 vaccine providers. The federal government has determined the amount of vaccine and when the vaccine is distributed. Hospitals receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine must be able to handle the ultra-low temperature storage requirements.”
In addition, Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine is due to be received by at least 51 hospitals throughout the state.
More hospital sites will receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine over the next several weeks. Hospital sites are selected by their ability to manage the cold chain requirement with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, completion of the COVID-19 provider agreement, and successful onboarding with the Department of Health for necessary documentation of vaccination. The number of doses, recipient hospitals and arrival dates are subject to change based on updated information from the federal government and Pfizer.
“These first doses of vaccine are being given specifically to healthcare workers through hospitals,” said Levine. “Hospitals are making arrangements to implement these vaccinations, not only to their own frontline staff but to other high-priority recipients. The number of people we can immunize truly depends on how quickly the manufacturers can make the vaccine.”
Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine received Emergency Use Authorization from the Food and Drug Administration on Friday, Dec. 11, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices approved its use on Dec. 13.
The vaccine will be available in three phases, beginning with critical populations. Due to the limited supply of vaccine, the first phase is expected to take several months. Initial administration of doses will be according to the ACIP recommendations of vaccine administration to healthcare workers, residents and staff in long-term care facilities.
In the second phase, the department anticipates more vaccine doses will be available. This will allow vaccination of essential workers who cannot work remotely and must work in proximity to others. The third phase is vaccinating all persons of any age not previously vaccinated, once the department has a sufficient supply of vaccine. In this phase, the entire population will have access to the vaccine.
Click here for more information.
