COVID-19 vaccine on the horizon, but distribution in Pa. will be limited at first – WFMZ Allentown

A COVID-19 vaccine is on the horizon, but the state of Pennsylvania reports early distribution will be severely limited.

Dr. Jeffrey Jahre, an infectious disease specialist at St. Luke's University Health Network, said when the vaccine does arrive in the Lehigh Valley, the first group of people it will be available to is healthcare workers and staff that have contact with the sickest COVID-19 patients, those who work in the ER, ICU, and on COVID patient floors.

Next, it would be available to healthcare workers who do procedures that put them at high risk. It would be available to health care workers and patients who are in high-risk areas like nursing homes.

"We cannot require workers to get a vaccine that still has some unproven components although we are very, very optimistic that it will meet the needs," Jahre said.

Vaccines would also be available for other essential emergency workers, like firefighters and police officers.

"We think that in several months we think there will be enough vaccine for what we call other risk populations. For instance, people who are out there who have diabetes, high blood pressure, are over the age of 65," said Jahre.

Jahre said eventually the vaccine will likely be available to the general public in places like doctor's offices and clinics. The state may initially prioritize sending doses of the vaccine to areas that have the highest number of cases.

Jahre said St. Luke's has applied to be among the facilities that will become vaccine distributors and has made arrangements to have the necessary equipment to do so. While initial vaccine distribution won't mean the end of mask wearing and social distancing, there's a light at the end of the tunnel.

"The hope is if we can get enough people to take the vaccine, we can put a halt to the kind of pandemic we're seeing right now. It remains to be seen if that will actually come about and how many people will actually take this vaccine and of course the long-term effectiveness," Jahre said.

Read more:

COVID-19 vaccine on the horizon, but distribution in Pa. will be limited at first - WFMZ Allentown