WISH-TV | wishtv.com
IU Health North will be one of the first hospitals to get Pfizer’s new COVID-19 vaccine after emergency-use authorization is approved.
Officials with IU Health North said they’re prepared for a supply to come at any moment and they will then work like an open clinic to all health care professionals and front-line workers in Hamilton County. Two other hospitals will then work like an open clinic to all health care professionals, but officials didn’t say which ones those will be. For the past several weeks, rooms have been converted into vaccination areas.
IU Health officials believe they have enough space to keep as much of the state’s supply necessary without the help of outside storage facilities.
The nursing executive who is leading this project for the region, Melissa Hicks, said at this point they haven’t been told how much of the vaccine the hospital will get.
“As the number of vaccines increase, we can meet the demand and so there are lots of projections out there for when that will happen and we’re really hoping early next year,” Hicks said. “It really will be based on demand and how fast the vaccine can be manufactured.”
After a patient is vaccinated, Hicks said they will be held in a room with other patents, separated by barriers, for 15 minutes to make sure there are no reactions. They will have to come back in 21 days to get a second dose of the vaccine.
The United Kingdom approved the vaccine for emergency use on Wednesday. Regulators will meet later this month to vote on approving the vaccine for emergency use in the U.S.
I’m 77 years old with kidney failure.
How and when will I be told where and when to get vaccinated?
I live close to IU North, and also to CVS Rangeine. I’m ready to go get vaccinated.
Thank you.