How Rhode Island will distribute the COVID-19 vaccine – The Boston Globe

Wed like to hit as many of those people as we can, because those folks are on the front line, Mihalakos said during a press conference Wednesday. With the crushing conditions were experiencing on the medical side right now with hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living, the vaccine could not possibly come at a better time. We really want to protect the protectors.

For the second phase, the state will focus on K-12 teachers, school staff, childcare workers, critical workers in high-risk jobs (such as employees of grocery stores), homeless shelters, people who are incarcerated and correctional staff, older adults, and those with moderate illnesses.

Children and young adults will fall into the third phase, although vaccines for those under 18 are still in development. The fourth phase will cover all other Rhode Island residents.

The federal Food and Drug Administration is expected to grant emergency use authorization for Pfizers vaccine on Thursday and review Modernas vaccine on Dec. 17. Pending approval, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will meet within 24 hours to determine the best practices for its usage.

Once the CDCs committee signs off, Rhode Island will convene an emergency meeting of its own task force within 24 hours and determine if the vaccine is safe to move forward, said Dr. Philip Chan, an infectious disease physician and consultant medical director of the state department of Healths Division of Preparedness, Response, Infectious Disease and Emergency Medical Services.

This is a multilevel process to really vet this vaccine, Chan said.

Rhode Island currently has the highest rate of COVID-19 infections in the nation, with an average daily case rate of 122.9 per 100,000 people, according to data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Neighboring Massachusetts has a positive rate of 74.2 per 100,000, and Connecticut has a rate of 65.6 per 100,000.) Rhode Island added another 1,232 new positive cases Wednesday, bringing the total to 68,299, with a daily 7.6 percent positive rate. Another 14 people died from COVID-19 related illnesses, and 461 people were hospitalized Wednesday.

Rhode Island is expecting an initial 10,000 doses from Pfizer, and 19,000 from Moderna, then 8,000 or so additional doses per week over time, said Mihalakos. The amount Rhode Island receives could vary from week to week. Both vaccines require two doses, administered three weeks apart, to be effective, and those receiving the vaccine should expect side effects including fatigue, headaches, or muscle aches.

While the states distribution timeline is based on when the vaccines are approved and shipped, Mihalakos said that hospitals will vaccinate their own staff in the first week the doses are available. The vaccine will be shipped to CVS and Walgreens, which will facilitate vaccination of residents and staff of long-term care and assisted living facilities starting shortly after Christmas, she said. First responders, home health care workers and others covered in phase 1 will be vaccinated at clinics.

Rhode Island health officials are still working out how the vaccine will be administered to people in phases 2, 3 and 4.

There are a lot of unknowns and there is going to be some known and unknown challenges, said Chan. But, we really do feel confident will get this out in a timely manner.

Amanda Milkovits can be reached at amanda.milkovits@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmandaMilkovits.

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How Rhode Island will distribute the COVID-19 vaccine - The Boston Globe