A FedEx van in Fresno County rolled up to building and offloaded its cargo: thousands of vaccinations for the fight against Covid-19, were ready for use.
A video provided by the Fresno County Department of Public Health shows two cases of vaccinations boxes being escorted into the FCDPH Building downtown. More than 7,800 doses of the Pfizer Vaccine are ready for delivery to health workers and others who are considered high priority.
“We received our shipment and it was successful. Everything was intact,” said Joe Prado, Manager of the Community Health Division.
The vaccines were unboxed and stored in an ultra-cold freezer (-69ºC). Every dose of the first shipment will go to front line healthcare workers at local hospitals. There were three other freezers waiting for future arrivals as well.
Forty percent of this shipment of vaccinations has already been distributed. Community Regional Medical Center plans to start vaccinating staff by Friday.
“We received about 4,470 doses of the Pfizer vaccine and we intend to provide that vaccine to all of our providers and staff who want to receive it,” said Matt Joslin CRMC Vice President.
Madera County also received its shipment Tuesday morning.
About 1,000 doses guarded by sheriff’s deputies were moved into Valley Children’s Hospital, which will serve as a vaccine storage hub for the whole county. A little more than 500 vaccinations will go to staff at VCH. The remainder will be given to Madera Community Hospital.
“The next priority is skilled nursing facilities, both residents and staff because those have been the highest risk people for poor outcomes with COVID,” said Simon Paul, Madera County Department of Public Health, health officer.
In Tulare County, Kaweah Delta Medical Center is awaiting its first shipment of about 1000 doses, which is expected to arrive by Wednesday.
One-thousand more will go to Sierra View Medical Center in Porterville and another thousand to nursing homes. Gary Herbst, Kaweah Delta’s Chief Executive Officer, says they’re not making the vaccine mandatory. “Some staff and some physicians will choose not to take the vaccine early on,” he said.
Moderna’s vaccine is expected to receive authorization from the FDA by Friday and make its way to the Valley soon — with some counties receiving larger quantities than the first shipments from Pfizer.
Throughout California, shipments of Covid-19 Vaccinations have arrived at four locations: San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Eureka. All other deliveries will expand from those four locations.
