Scenes of Hoosier health care workers getting their first doses of COVID-19 vaccine drew an emotional reaction from State Health Commissioner Dr. Kris Box Wednesday.
“Many of our own staff have been moved to tears, just like I was, watching that video, when we received reports of the vaccine first hitting our state and first going in arms, and then pictures showing people actually getting it has just been overwhelming to all of us,” Box said during state officials’ COVID-19 press conference. “So it is the light at the end of the tunnel. We are still in the tunnel, but it is the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Indiana Department of Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Lindsay Weaver reported that more than 46,000 eligible frontline health care workers have signed up to get the vaccine. The state’s initial allocation of the Pfizer vaccine was over 55,000 doses. More doses will come in next week, but fewer than initially thought. By that time, though, a second vaccine may be available.
“The Moderna vaccine is still under federal review,” Weaver explained. “We hope it receives its emergency use authorization from the FDA this weekend, which will increase the amount of vaccine available to the states. But we will not know final amounts available to Indiana until Moderna receives its EUA and we receive that allocation notice.”
Weaver said that both vaccines appear to be similar in their safety and efficacy, but they’ll keep an eye on recommendations about how they should be allocated. She said the Moderna vaccine may be directed toward long-term care facilities, since it doesn’t require the ultra-low temperature storage that the Pfizer vaccine does.
As for who’s next after health care workers and long-term care residents, Weaver said officials may have a better idea in the next couple weeks.
Still, Box warned that it will be a number of months before everyone can get the vaccine. “I know many Hoosiers just want this pandemic to be over and are eager to receive their vaccine,” Box said. “Please know that we will get it to you as soon as we possibly can.”
The state plans to launch a vaccine data dashboard in the next few weeks, to let the public know how many people have been vaccinated.
