COLUMBUS, Ohio — A vaccine for COVID-19 is coming, but no one in the state knows exactly when.
In the meantime, the state is already preparing for how the vaccine will be distributed and it’s all detailed in a 55-page report released in October.
According to the state's interim-draft COVID-19 distribution plan, one of the major concerns is that "50% of Americans report they are unsure or would refuse being vaccinated."
To coordinate the vaccine, the state has come up with a Pandemic Response and Recovery Leadership Team as well as a Vaccine Preparedness Office led by Adjutant General John C. Harris.
The team is in charge of identifying populations to receive the vaccine first, the delivery, and storage of the vaccine.
Here's who the state will distribute the vaccine to first:
- High-risk healthcare workers
- First responders
- Older adults living in congregate or overcrowded settings
- People at significantly higher risk due to co-morbid or underlying conditions
Phase two recipients include:
- Critical risk workers such as healthcare workers, teachers and school staff
- People in homeless shelters and group homes
- People and staff in prisons, jails and detention centers
The last group includes everyone else residing in Ohio who did not have access to the vaccine in previous phases.
The plan also details how the vaccines will be distributed.
Ohio has adopted what its calling a hybrid plan. The report states "Ohio's preferred approach is to direct-ship the vaccine through a centralized warehouse then to local health departments or pharmacies in order to reach high-risk populations."
Tracking the vaccine is also critical.
The report says "because the COVID-19 vaccine is a valuable federal asset, it will be essential to minimize vaccine loss and account for every dose received and used, whether administered, wasted, compromised, expired or transferred."
In order for the vaccine to work it must be kept freezing cold.
CDC guidance advises cold chain storage and handling requirements for each COVID-19 vaccine. Refrigerated temperatures will range from about 35 to -112 degrees Fahrenheit.
The state is working on a plan to educate the public that people who get the shot will also need to get a second shot.
The report says "we plan to utilize two methodologies to encourage a second dose: postcards and text messages. As part of the provider data reporting, Ohio will collect the contact information of vaccine recipients and deliver postcard reminders and text messages about two weeks later encouraging them to get the second dose."