Des Moines Valley Health and Human Services began vaccinations of the Pfizer vaccine earlier this month after receiving about 400 doses for both Cottonwood and Jackson counties.
On Wednesday, Dec. 23, DVHHS received its first 100 doses of the Moderna vaccine. According to Evelyn Schaeffer, DVHHS public health director, this shipment supplements the Pfizer vaccine hospitals received directly the week prior.
“Per the Minnesota Department of Health’s guidelines, there is an order to which the vaccines are to be given,” Schaeffer said in an email on Monday. “First up to receive the vaccine are those who work in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, adult residential facilities, home health workers, Emergency Medical Services, fire, police and community vaccinators. Community vaccinators are those who are qualified to give shots, such as pharmacists, dentists, veterinarians and nurses are who are not currently working in a health care setting.”
Schaeffer said the supplementary Moderna will be given to the populations previously listed that the hospitals did not have enough doses to cover.
More information on this story will be included in next week’s Citizen.
