Marion County Health Department Administrator Melissa Mallow says the first Pfizer vaccine for COVID-19 will be picked up by the department and delivered to SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital and Salem Township Hospital on Wednesday.
She told the health board Tuesday night 75 doses are going to Salem Township Hospital and 250 to St. Mary’s. Mallow says Marion County is among the top 50 counties in the state for per capita death rate to qualify to receive doses from the first shipment.
She reports the initial doses this week will have to be given at the hospitals in case there are adverse reactions.
“The vaccine will be administered in phases. Phase 1A is healthcare, long term care, and EMS. Phase 1B is essential front line workers and Phase 1C is adults 65 years or older with high risk medical conditions.”
Mallow says CVS and Walgreens have contracts with the federal government to administer the vaccine to staff and residents at nursing homes. That is expected to occur quickly as well.
As far as when the general public may be able to get the vaccine.
“Phase 1 will definitely be at least a month if not a little bit longer. They are speculating right now that in about 2 months we should be doing the public.”
Mallow says they have hired four new employees so far to help with contact tracing and could hire more if qualified persons are found. She reports another problem is finding space. Mallow says they have learned the work needs to be completed at the office because questions that arise are different in every case.
Mallow says the health department has received a $620,411 grant to complete the contact tracing. That has allowed about three-fourths of the department’s computer equipment to be replaced, a new contact tracing program, as well as to pay salaries and overtime for employees. Under the grant guidelines, Mallow reports at least 50-percent of the grant amount has to be spent down by December 31st.
