The first shipment of a single-dose vaccine for COVID-19 arrived in Massachusetts just hours ago.
EMILY: THE FIRST SHIPMENT OF ASINGLE-DOSE VACCINE FOR COVID-19ARRIVED IN MASSACHUSETTS HOURSAGO.HERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS ISDR. HELEN BOUCHER, CHIEF OFGEOGRAPHIC MEDICINE ANDINFECTIOUS DISEASES AT TUFTSMEDICAL CENTER.GOOD TO SEE YOU.YOU OPENED THAT FIRST BOX FROMJOHNSON & JOHNSON THIS MORNING.HOW QUICKLY WILL YOU BE ABLE TODISTRIBUTE THE DOSES?AND WHO WILL GET THEM?DR. BOUCHER: WE ARE PLANNING TOSTART THURSDAY.THE PEOPLE THAT GET THEM HAVEAPPOINTMENTS, PEOPLE IN PHASE 1,HEALTH CARE WORKERS ANDFRONTLINE WORKERS.PEOPLE IN PHASE 2 ARE ABOVE THEAGE OF 65 AND PEOPLE WITH TWO ORMORE COMORBIDITIES THAT PLACETHEM AT INCREASED RISK OF COVID.EMILY: WE NOW HAVE THREEVACCINES AVAILABLE FROM THREEDIFFERENT MANUFACTURERS.IS THERE ANY REASON FOR SOME TOCHOOSE ONE BRAND OVER ANOTHER?DR. BOUCHER: WE ARE BLESSED WITHTHREE SAFE AND EFFECTIVEVACCINES TODAY AND WEKNOW THEYARE 100% EFFECTIVE AT PROTECTINGHOSPITALIZATION AND DEATH, ANDSAFE.THERE IS NO REASON TO THINK ONEIS BETTER THAN THE OTHER.THE BEST VACCINE IS THE ONE THATGOES INTO YOUR ARM.EMILY: ACCORDING TO THE CLINICALDATA, ALL THREE VACCINES WERE100% EFFECTIVE.HOWEVER, ONE VIEWER ASKED US IFTHAT STATISTIC IS ALSO TRUE FOROLDER PEOPLE WITH COMPLICATEDMEDICAL HISTORIES, SAY COPD,ASTHMA AND HEART DISEASE.WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?DR. BOUCHER: THE DATA FROM THECLINICAL TRIALS TELL US EVERYINDIVIDUAL, INCLUDING THOSE WHOHAVE COMORBIDITIES, ALL SURVIVEDAND DID NOT NEED TO GO TO THEHOSPITAL DUE TO COVID.THAT IS REASSURING NEWS ABOUTTHESE VACCINES.EMILY: WE HEARD FROM THEPRESIDENT SAYING THERE WILL BEENOUGH VACCINE FOR EVERYONE WHOWANTS ONE BY THE END OF DO YOUMAY.THINK THESE THREE VACCINES WILLBE ENOUGH TO GET EVERYONEVACCINATED?DO YOU THINK THE U.S. WILL NEEDA FOURTH OR FIFTH?DR. BOUCHER: THIS IS A GLOBALPANDEMIC.WHILE IT IS REASSURING THESEVACCINES WILL BE ENOUGH FOR THEUNITED STATES, WE HAVE TO THINKABOUT VACCINATING THE WHOLEWORLD BECAUSE WE WILL NOT BESAFE UNTIL THE WHOLE WORLD ISSAFE.WE HOPE MORE VACCINES WILL BE
The vaccination clinic was held from noon to 4 p.m. Friday, a second clinic is scheduled to return in three weeks.
