RICHMOND, Va. - The newest approved COVID-19 vaccine is expected to be delivered to Virginia on Wednesday.
Both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccine is being delivered to 96 health districts and health care facilities sites across the Commonwealth of Virginia this week.
In anticipation of the Moderna vaccine’s approval by the FDA, Virginia placed an order for about 140,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine, which the VDH says is expected to all be delivered by December 23. Additionally, Virginia was allocated about 50,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine this week.
Based on planning estimates provided by Operation Warp Speed, Virginia officials say they are planning for a weekly allocation of a total of 100,000 doses of vaccine (about 50,000 doses of each type of vaccine) for the next few weeks. The actual amount is dependent on when and how quickly vaccination doses are manufactured.
According to the VDH, health districts have been working with healthcare systems to plan for how to provide the vaccine to those in allocation group 1a, based on CDC and VDH recommendations. In addition to healthcare personnel, Phase 1a includes long-term care facility (LTCF) residents and staff.
Most LTCFs in Virginia signed up for the federal LTCF Pharmacy Partnership Program and will be receiving their vaccinations onsite, at their LTCF, from CVS and Walgreens vaccination teams. VDH says the pharmacies are expected to begin vaccinating at LTCFs beginning the week of December 28.
“Vaccines are our way out of this pandemic. With Pfizer-BioNTech and now Moderna vaccines available, more Virginians are able to get vaccinated,” said State Health Commissioner M. Norman Oliver, MD, MA. “The interest we are seeing from community members on when they can get vaccinated indicates people want this protection. We are working hard to get vaccines to people as quickly as possible. In the meantime, please continue to wear a face mask, practice social distancing, and wash your hands frequently.”
Currently, VHD says the vaccine distribution is limited to those in priority group 1a, but will be expanded as supplies and resources to administer the vaccine increase. Vaccines will be made available to the various populations identified in the phased distribution plans established by CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and VDH.
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