The first 1,950 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine arrived in Vermont Monday — part of the 5,850 doses arriving this week.
The State Vaccine Depot and the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington each received 975 doses, sent as part of the initial nationwide shipments that followed the emergency use authorization issued by the Food and Drug Administration on Dec. 12.
Gov. Phil Scott called the vaccine’s arrival “an important milestone and an essential step toward defeating a virus that’s devastated families and businesses throughout Vermont and around the globe. There is no better, safer or faster way to defeat this virus and work to rebuild our economy than a successful effort to make vaccines available to every single Vermonter. We are committed to working with our partners to get this done.”
The Vermont Department of Health has been allocated weekly shipments of 5,850 doses through December. Those doses will arrive in three shipments — the 1,950 today, another 1,950 on Tuesday, Dec. 15, and another 1,950 doses that will be shipped later this week directly to pharmacies that have contracted with the federal government to administer vaccines at long-term care facilities.
The health department, working with the State Emergency Operations Center, will distribute the vaccine to hospitals throughout Vermont.
“This is a pivotal moment, one that marks the beginning of the end of the pandemic,” said Health Commissioner Mark Levine.
However, he cautioned, it will take months for the vaccine to bring Covid-19 under control, and this is no time for people to let their guard down.
“I can’t emphasize enough the importance of everyone keeping up their efforts to protect themselves and prevent spread of the virus,” Levine said.
The initial doses are the first of a two-dose regimen for the vaccine. An equal number of the second dose will be shipped in the coming weeks.
In addition, Vermont has placed an advance order for the Moderna vaccine, once it’s approved by the FDA. Vaccine orders will be placed on a weekly basis. Arrangements for additional doses after December are being worked out. The number of vaccine doses each state receives is based on overall U.S. supply and state population.
The vaccine is “a critical new tool to protect our health care workers, patients and communities,” said Dr. John R. Brumsted, president and CEO of the UVM Health Network. Like Levine, he issued this caution: “We cannot allow the promise of these vaccines to distract us from continuing to do the things that have been proven to slow the growth of Covid-19 — masking, distancing and hand hygiene.”
Initial doses will go to high-priority groups, as set by the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices — including high-risk health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities.
More information about access to vaccines will be available as the next priority groups are decided. Levine said access will be ensured all across Vermont, with health care providers, pharmacies and other organizations administering the vaccine to Vermonters.
“We are working with community organizations and other partners to make sure people who are disproportionately affected by Covid-19, including Black, Indigenous and people of color, have equitable access to the vaccine,” Levine said.
For more information about the vaccine, distribution, and updates on getting vaccinated: healthvermont.gov/covid-19/vaccine.
