Jefferson County Health Department officials hope to soon receive a shipment of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, which the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved.
During a Facebook Live session today (Dec. 22), Jeana Vidacak, public health preparedness coordinator for the Health Department, said the Health Department is an approved vaccination site and has signed up for shipments of the vaccine.
She also said Missouri is still working to vaccinate health care workers and people in long-term care facilities.
Vidacak said the long-term care facilities are working directly with Walgreens or CVS pharmacies to vaccinate workers and residents.
She said the Health Department does not have the proper refrigerators to store the Pfizer vaccines, so the agency did not receive any of those.
“We don't have the capacity to do the ultra-cold storage (necessary for the Pfizer vaccine),” she said. “It's packaged in a way that we could accept it, but we would have a very short turnaround window to administer it.”
The Pfizer vaccine needs to be stored around -70 degrees Celsius, and the Moderna around -20 degrees Celsius.
“We currently have storage capabilities for all our regular immunizations or regular vaccines, and the Moderna vaccine falls into that category,” Vidacak said.
The Pfizer vaccine requires a second dose 21 days after the first one, and the Moderna vaccine requires a second dose after 28 days.
Even though some Missourians have been receiving the vaccines, they won’t be available to the public at large for some time.
Once the Health Department receives the Moderna vaccine, it plans to hold large drive-thru vaccination clinics, hopefully by the end of January, Vidacak said.
She said residents will need to register online for vaccination events and receive a time slot, she said.
Vidacak said the vaccines are safe, but some people should check with their primary care doctor before receiving either vaccine, including women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, anyone with a history of severe allergic reactions, the immunocompromised, and people who have a bleeding disorder or are on blood thinners
She encourages people to download the V-Safe smartphone app, which is a health checker for people who have received either vaccine.
Vidacak said the app will send text messages and web surveys to check on people after they receive the vaccinations.
“It’s really a neat tool that we have,” she said.
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Director Dr. Randall Williams said many vaccinations will be free, but health care providers could charge up to $25 to administer each one.
County COVID-19 stats
The Health Department reported 112 new COVID-19 cases today, bringing the total number of cases in the county to 15,775 since the first ones were reported in March.
The county has an estimated 6,177 active cases, the Health Department reported.
Brianne Zwiener, communications specialist with the Health Department, said the agency no longer follows up with all COVID-19 patients, so the active case number is an estimate.
Zwiener also said the Health Department typically closes out positive COVID-19 cases after 10 days, although there can be a delay in case closures.
Of the county’s total coronavirus cases, 1,081 have been at long-term care facilities, which includes residents and staff members who live in Jefferson County.
Of the 120 COVID-19 deaths in the county, 59 have been from long-term care facilities, the Health Department reported.
The county remains at the red level on the Health Department’s COVID-19 warning system.
Red is the highest level on the Health Department’s four-color system and indicates widespread and uncontrolled transmission of the virus.
To control the spread of the virus, health officials urge residents to follow the county’s face mask order, which requires residents to wear face masks while in public spaces when social distancing cannot be maintained.
The county mask order was extended to Jan. 21 at the Health Department Board of Trustees meeting on Monday (Dec. 21).
The Health Department also stresses the importance of limiting nonessential travel, avoiding crowds, social distancing, good hand-washing and staying home if you are sick.
