01 Dec SM County: COVID Vaccines & Distribution Plan
COVID-19 continues to surge. It is Code RED across the state, creating ICU challenges and a long-term threat in general. San Miguel Public Health plans to host various discussions surrounding vaccines and phased, emergency-use distribution.
For up-to-date coronavirus information visit here.
For more information about the state’s COVID-19 dial, visit here.
For more information on Covid testing, visit here.
For more information surrounding the COVID-19 vaccines and distribution protocol, please join one of San Miguel County Public Health’s industry forums on Friday, December 4 from 1 to 7 pm MST with Zoom meeting code 834 9217 4369 and password 561 517 or the COVID community forum on Tuesday, December 8 at 6 pm MST with Zoom meeting code 875 7561 1213 and password 819 022.
Grace Franklin, County Public Health Director.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is initiating review of two COVID-19 vaccine candidates for Emergency Use Authorization this month.
The FDA is the regulatory authority with oversight for the safety, effectiveness and quality of vaccines used in the United States. Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech are the two companies filing for emergency use authorizations for COVID-19 vaccines at present. Both Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech have developed mRNA vaccines which contain snippets of COVID-19 mRNA rather than pathogen particles. mRNA vaccines are typically safe, effective and can be produced more rapidly than other types of vaccines. These vaccines require two doses to be injected several weeks apart in order to ensure immunity.
“We are committed to expediting the development of COVID-19 vaccines, but not at the expense of sound science and decision-making. We will not jeopardize the public’s trust in our science-based, independent review of these or any vaccines. There’s too much at stake,” stated Stephen M. Hahn, M.D., FDA Commissioner, and Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., Director, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research on the COVID Vaccine page.
As COVID-19 vaccines receive final approvals for distribution and limited doses are released, vaccines will be dispersed in a phased approach to achieve coverage in priority populations. This phased approach is a national standard of practice and is expected to occur in three phases.
Phase I will include critical workforce such as inpatient healthcare workers, outpatient healthcare workers, emergency medical services, firefighters, police officers, public health personnel.
Phase I will also include highest risk individuals such as residents and patients in assisted living, long-term care and nursing facilities.
Phase II will include essential workers identified as those with critical, direct interaction with the public or in high-density workplaces. This phase could include people such as grocery store employees, teachers, childcare, agricultural workers and group home workers.
Phase II will also include higher risk individuals including those 65 year or older and those with preexisting conditions such as diabetes, chronic lung disease, significant heart disease or immunocompromised status.
Phase III will address the general public including adults ages 18 through 64 without high risk conditions.
The State of Colorado has a population of 5.8 million, approximately 1.7% of the U.S. population. According to Governor Jared Polis, estimates suggest the State of Colorado could receive as few as 100,000 doses of an approved vaccine in the first round of distribution. While vaccine distribution for the general population could begin as early as spring, it could take up to a year to acquire enough supply to vaccinate the entire populace.
“There are a great many factors at play in the approval of these vaccines and even more when it comes to distribution,” said Public Health Director Grace Franklin. “In the end, a phased approach to vaccine distribution is intended to save as many lives as possible while also keeping the lights on.”
San Miguel County Public Health has been approved by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment as a distribution site for approved and viable vaccines.
Public Health has confirmed 23 new positive cases of COVID-19 from test results received from November 27 through December 1. Of these cases, 20 are residents and all actively contagious cases are currently in isolation. There have been 216 total COVID cases among residents to date with 20 active cases. To learn more about the County’s current COVID-19 metrics, please visit the County COVID-19 dashboard.
• 73-year-old male, nonresident, symptomatic, travel
• 72-year-old male, resident, symptomatic, household
• 68-year-old female, resident, symptomatic, community
• 63-year-old male, resident, symptomatic, community
• 58-year-old female, resident, symptomatic, community
• 57-year-old male, resident, asymptomatic, household
• 52-year-old male, resident, symptomatic, social
• 49-year-old male, resident, symptomatic, travel
• 41-year-old female, resident, symptomatic, community
• 40-year-old female, resident, symptomatic, travel
• 37-year-old male, resident, symptomatic, household
• 34-year-old male, resident, symptomatic, community
• 33-year-old female, resident, symptomatic, social
• 28-year-old male, resident, symptomatic, household
• 28-year-old male, resident, symptomatic, household
• 27-year-old female, resident, asymptomatic, community
• 27-year-old female, resident, symptomatic, community
• 26-year-old female, resident, symptomatic, community
• 26-year-old female, nonresident, symptomatic, workplace
• 18-year-old male, resident, symptomatic, community
• 14-year-old male, resident, asymptomatic, household
• 9-year-old female, resident, asymptomatic, household
• 9-year-old female, nonresident, symptomatic, travel
San Miguel County will continue posting caseload updates twice a week. The next update will be published on Friday, December 4.
Five Commitments of Containment:
Wear a mask
Maintain six feet of physical distance
Minimize group size
Wash hands frequently
Stay home when sick and get tested
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