(Greater Dakota News Service)- Federal officials are working with drug companies on coronavirus vaccines, some of which could be available this month for groups prioritized for early rollouts– and a South Dakota health-care group hopes underserved residents aren’t overlooked in the process.
A CDC committee has recommended health-care workers and residents of long-term care facilities get the first round of doses.
Lori Dumke is with the Community Health Care Association of the Dakotas, which assists federally subsidized clinics. She says there are still a lot of unknowns, and as health providers are briefed on the updates, they’ll be a valuable resource.
“The general public doesn’t necessarily have the resources that our health-care professionals do – of different webinars, and hearing medical directors and researchers, and things like that.”
Depending on which vaccines are available first, Dumke says it’s hard to tell how the state will be affected. For example, the Pfizer vaccine needs to be stored at negative-94-degrees Fahrenheit and South Dakota has limited amounts of dry ice to help with storage. But Dumke says it appears the state has done some key planning.
“There will definitely be hiccups along the way, and glitches that we need to work out. But I think that that’s one thing about the distribution process with the COVID vaccine in general is, it’s a huge benefit that it’s rolling out in phases, as opposed to dropping one million doses on a state and figuring out what to do with it.”
In a meeting with health-care providers this week, the state health department said it has the resources needed to get vaccines rolled out to prioritized residents. South Dakota’s three main providers are playing a role and Dumke says they have capabilities to hold vaccine events at satellite clinics in harder-to-reach communities. She says her group is speaking to staff at homeless shelters and others working with vulnerable residents, to ensure they get the information they need.
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