Asante, Providence to begin vaccinating medical staff for COVID-19 on Friday

Asante is among the first healthcare providers in the state to receive some of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccines, but doses are extremely limited.

Thank you for joining us, i'm brian morton.

And i'm alicia rubin.

Asante rogue regional medical center will vaccinate their healthcare workers on friday.

Newswatch 12's adam schumes joins us live outside of asante with the details you can say help is finally on the way for those health care workers as asante is among the first healthcare providers in the state to receive some of the pfizer coronavirus vaccines, but doses are extremely limited.

ááávoááá asante rogue regional medical center will receive the pfizer vaccine for covid 19.

That was announced today in a press conference.

Asante is one of the first five health systems in oregon to receive the vaccine.

The first shipment will cover les than 15 percent of the staff.

70 degree celsius is required for the pfizer vaccine.

Vaccine prioritization team recommended those who work in the highest risk areas, where patients with known or suspected covid-19 infection are being cared for, or whose roles involve exposure to potentially infectious aerosolized.

Respiratory droplets should be among the first to receive a vaccine.

Asante officials say it would take until mid to late february to vaccinate the whole staff.

The hospital will not be receiving the moderna vaccine now that it is approved by the fda.

Oregon and vermont do not mandate vaccinations..

And oregon has the fewest per capita hospital beds in the the united states.

Now those working at the mobile drop off sites collect as well as those working in the emergency department are some of the people that will receive the the past half hour, providence ministries in portland has confirmed providence medford has received its initial allotment of coronavirus vaccines.

Today providence held a blessing ceremony for the vaccine clinic on the providence medford campus.

Providence plans to will be there for coverage.

A covid-19 vaccine is one of the most important tools to end the covid-19 pandemic.

Siskiyou county is expected to receive its first shipments on monday.

Siskiyou county will get 385 doses of the pfizer vaccine.

Dignity health and fairchild medical center will be receiving these doses which are being prioritized to frontline health-care workers who are at most risk of exposure to covid-19.

Newswatch 12 spoke with a public health care worker in siskiyou county who is set to receive the vaccine on monday.

The pfizer vaccine, um, really is only good for about five days outside of an ultra cold freezer.

We do have an ultra cold freezer now, or, uh, uh, a device that will work for that public health, but we're waiting on one component of that freezer for it to be fully functional.

So we can't yet stored at our public health department, but one of the hospitals in the county of the two hospitals that we have, one of them has a functioning ultra cold freezer at the moment.

Aaron said that is excited to receive the vaccine.

Aaron did that the next shipment of the vaccine will come the following week.

That will be the moderna vaccine.

That amount could be even smaller than the amount given on ld be given to phamarcies.

Oregon is in the 1-a phase of vaccine distribution based on oregon health authority's plan.

O-h-a is distributing covid-19 vaccine in line with c-d-c's recommended phased approach.

Phase 1-a includes healthcare workers, with first distribution to those with direct exposure to coronavirus.

Phase 1-b includes essential workers such as teachers, bus drivers, food processors and people who keep the economy and society open.

Phase 1-c includes people with underlying health conditions and people older than 65.