Biloxi VA prepares for Moderna COVID-19 vaccine arrival

With COVID-19 cases surging across the nation, anticipation for the distribution of vaccines is rising.

Deaths- - with covid 19 cases surging - across the nation,- anticipation for the- distribution of vaccines are- rising.

- news 25's grace boyles joins us- in the studio for an update on- the - distribution of vaccines here o- the gulf coast.

- - grace boyles, news 25: <at wall- "the moderna vaccine was scheduled t- arrive at the biloxi va hospita- monday morning with - the first vaccine being - administered tuesday.

However,- the va was notified early monda- morning that the shipment of th- vaccine would not arrive on the- coast - until wednesday.

Despite the- last minute change, the va has - thorough plan - set in place for when the - vaccine does arrive."

18 hundred doses of the moderna- vaccine are expected to - make it's way to the v-a- hospital, which will first be - distributed to- - their frontline healthcare- workers and then the- remaining doses will be - administered to their long-term- care residents.

- in preparation for the arrival- of the vaccine, the v-a has - converted a conference room int- a medical center- for receiving the shots.- dr. christopher saslo, associat- director of patient care- services at biloxi va hospital:- "from a facility standpoint, we're extremely well prepared t- recieve - the vaccine.

But until you- actually have that first- opportunity to be vaccinating - our staff - and our patients that everythin- is up in question and we don't- want to miss an - opportunity to get it right the- first time, so that the people- who are getting the vaccine - get the best benefit from it."

Timing is crucial with the- moderna vaccine.

Once the vile- has - - - - been punctured, medical - professionals need to give the- drug to the patient within six- hours.

There will be timers at- each vaccination station to mak- sure patients wait a full 15- minutes after getting the - vaccine before they leave.- dr. christopher saslo, associat- director of patient care- services at biloxi va hospital:- "the administration of a brand new vaccine such as the moderna- which is a messenger- rna, has to be very closely - monitored for any side effects.- so for the first 15 minutes - after each person gets the- vaccine, we have to make sure w- monitor them for any- of the side effects, which can- be as simple as developing some- redness at the- injection site, all the way up- to severe reactions to it, whic- we have to be - prepared for."

Unlike the pfizer vaccine, the- storage requirements of - the moderna vaccine is much - easier for most facilities to - accommodate.- dr. christopher saslo, associat- director of patient care- services at biloxi va hospital:- "the moderna stores at minus 20 degrees celsius, which means it- can be kept in what - most people commonly think of a- a common household freezer.

But- the - temperatures still have to be - monitored.

They have to be- processed and we actually have- a centralized area that monitor- any of those variations if the- temperature drops - below or goes above the - temperature range."

Last week, singing river health- system received 975 doses of th- pfizer vaccines and began - administering the drug to - frontline healthcare workers as- a - part of phase 1-a of- distribution.

- sarah duffey, singing river - health system media relations - director: "the vaccination of first round-- th- frontline employees has been- going extremely well.

- we've been able to schedule the- efficiently so we can get as- many done as- quickly as possible."

Pfizer will ship singing river- their second round of the - vaccine to complete phase 1-a - once all the health system's- doses are issued.

- for now, singing river does not- know if they will eventually- receive the moderna vaccine.- sarah duffey, singing river - health system media relations - director: "later on in january or 2021, we may receive- the moderna.

It depends on how- much is - allocated to the state."

Grace boyles, news 25: <at wall- "the first moderna vaccination - - at the biloxi veterans hospital- is scheduled to be given on - monday, december- 28th at 10:00 am.

Singing river- is expecting to receive their - second round of the pfizer- vaccine january 5th.- reporting in the studio, grace- boyles, news 25."