Thousands of healthcare workers in Indiana have received the COVID-19 vaccine with more waiting for their turn.
During Governor Eric Holcomb’s COVID-19 press briefing Wednesday, Indiana Department of Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Lindsay Weaver said 76,000 have received their first dose of the vaccine.
“More than 110,000 Hoosiers in total have scheduled appointments for vaccine through next Monday and those numbers continue to grow,” said Dr. Weaver. “Those numbers do not include the estimated 40,000 doses that are set aside for our long-term care facility residents and staff.”
Dr. Weaver noted that the State is focusing vaccination efforts on the frontline healthcare workers who are at the greatest risk of exposure.
“I want to stress that we are moving in a very intentional order of eligibility for vaccine. We want to ensure that we have enough vaccine before we open up vaccinations to additional groups. With the exception of residents of long-term care facilities, every person receiving the vaccine right now has to attest that they are a health worker who has had exposure to patients or infectious material.”
According to the state’s newly-established vaccination dashboard, 76 people in Starke County have received the first COVID-19 vaccination, 349 people in Marshall County received the first dose, and 94 people in Pulaski County received their first dose.
Dr. Weaver added that by the end of this week, Indiana will have been allocated 146,250 doses of the Pfizer vaccine and 152,500 doses of the Moderna vaccine. She said this will ensure 250,000 of the state’s healthcare workers can receive the first dose of the vaccine and 40,000 employees and residents of long-term care facilities.
More doses will be coming in weekly.
Vaccines will be widely available to all residents in the coming months, although a more specific timeline will be released in the next week.
