Arizonans Age 16 And Up Can Be Vaccinated At State Sites.
“Our goal has been and remains to get vaccine into the community as quickly, widely and equitably as possible,” said Governor Ducey. “Given a thorough review of vaccination data, anticipated vaccine supply, and current demand among prioritized groups, now is the time to take this critical next step.”
As of this morning, Arizona has administered 2,904,159 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to 1,831,456 individuals, including 1,136,413 who are fully vaccinated. As of Monday morning, there were over 58,000 appointments still available from Friday’s release.
The change announced today advances a hybrid approach that had been based on age and also has had counties vaccinating frontline essential workers. It applies to appointments still available for this week at state sites in Maricopa and Pima counties.
“We anticipate more and more vaccine reaching Arizona heading into April, making it possible now to expand prioritization,” said Dr. Cara Christ, director of the Arizona Department of Health Services. “We have been flexible and nimble throughout, while expanding the availability of state sites to vaccinate large numbers of people rapidly.”
ADHS now opens appointments at 11 a.m. each Friday for State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona State University’s Phoenix Municipal Stadium in Tempe, Chandler-Gilbert Community College, the University of Arizona in central Tucson, and, as of this Friday, Yuma Civic Center in Yuma County.
State sites complement county vaccination programs and the growing availability of vaccine at pharmacies and federally qualified health centers participating in federal vaccination programs. Sites using the Pfizer vaccine, including those run by the state, can vaccinate those 16 and older. The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccines, which are allocated to counties, are approved for those 18 and older.
Information about all vaccination sites across Arizona can be found at azhealth.gov/findvaccine. Those without computer access or needing extra help registering can call 1-844-542-8201 to be connected with someone who can assist. Note: You can use the patient portal at podvaccine.azdhs.gov to make an appointment for a relative.
To learn more about COVID-19 vaccines and vaccination, please visit azdhs.gov/COVID19Vaccines.
Moderna Vaccine
More Than 1 Million Arizonans Now Fully Vaccinated Against COVID-19
With Hot Temperatures Coming, State Is Making Plans To Continue Vaccine Momentum.
“Every dose of the COVID-19 vaccine administered to an Arizona resident represents an essential step forward in our fight against COVID-19,” said Governor Ducey. “I’m so grateful to the thousands of staff and volunteers at vaccination sites statewide for their dedication and hard work, which has made this milestone possible.”
As of Tuesday morning, 1,007,600 Arizonans have received either both doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine. A total of 2,590,447 doses have been administered to 1,628,587 individuals since COVID-19 vaccine doses began arriving in Arizona in December.
“Of the many important milestones reached to date, this one is especially significant because it’s individuals who now have the full benefit of vaccination against COVID-19,” said Dr. Cara Christ, director of the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS). “With 1 million fully vaccinated, there are still 6 million more Arizonans who potentially can have this protection as more vaccine becomes available.”
Nearly 700,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered at state mass-vaccination sites, which use a model that has won attention from other states and praise from President Joe Biden. On Monday, 77-year-old Surprise resident Judith Beaulieu received the 500,000th COVID-19 vaccine dose administered at the State Farm Stadium vaccination site, which has operated 24/7 since opening Jan. 11.
As summer approaches, ADHS and its partners are finalizing plans for continuing mass-vaccination operations in preparation for additional vaccine supplies expected from the federal government. In early April, for example, the State Farm Stadium site will convert to overnight operation to protect staff, volunteers, and patients from extreme heat. To replace that capacity at State Farm Stadium and other sites, the state is identifying indoor venues allowing for continued vaccination.
“The state has been able to establish mass-vaccination sites quickly at outdoor venues. Now we will replicate that in places allowing us to continue this momentum as temperatures climb,” Dr. Christ said. “We expect considerably more vaccine from the federal government in the coming weeks, and state sites will be part of a response that includes community-level efforts by counties, vaccine available at pharmacies and similar settings, and more.”
Information about all vaccination sites across Arizona can be found at azhealth.gov/findvaccine, and registration is available for state sites and many others at podvaccine.azdhs.gov. Those without computer access or needing extra help registering can call 1-844-542-8201 to be connected with someone who can assist.
“The COVID-19 vaccines have been proven safe and highly effective, and I urge all Arizonans to get the vaccine as soon as they are eligible,” Governor Ducey said. “I received my first shot on March 2, and I’m looking forward to getting my second.”
To learn more about COVID-19 vaccines and vaccination, please visit azdhs.gov/COVID19Vaccines.
The Shot Felt Round the World
Healthcare officials across Arizona high-fived, cheered, elbow-bumped and even shed tears of gratitude as the first doses of the Moderna vaccine were administered on Tuesday, Dec. 22. “This is a great way to end the year,” said Dr. Kristina Kezar, M.D., from Verde Valley Medical Center. “What a Christmas gift for me and the safety of my family and the community. I’m ecstatic. I’m honored.”
Moments earlier, Flagstaff Medical Center Critical Care Nurse Stacey Payne, R.N. received the vaccine in Flagstaff. “I am so excited,” she said. “I feel like our whole planet is coming together to give us hope to get out of this. I just really hope this will turn things around for us.”
The vaccination arrived in Central and Northern Arizona as hospital officials around the state continued to juggle capacity and staffing issues. At Yavapai Regional Medical Center, the number of patients in dedicated COVID-19 units continued to rise at both campuses.
YRMC spokesperson Kenneth Boush says hospital staff members are “exhausted” and have had to adapt daily to meet the ongoing demand of treatment. In late December, YRMC-Prescott was at 105% capacity; the Prescott Valley location was at 112%. There were 10 total COVID units between the two hospitals by Dec. 23.
“We are in historical territory here,” Boush said. “We’ve never seen this kind of patient flow come through our hospitals.”
Normally, both hospitals are set up to care for about 185 patients total. The hospital staff has repurposed units to add more beds. Many staff members have worked overtime for the past 10 months to help meet the demand for care.
However, the arrival of the Moderna vaccine created noticeable optimism among healthcare workers for the New Year. Northern Arizona
Healthcare Chief Quality Officer Dr. John Mougin said the Moderna vaccine is a messenger RNA vaccine. “It’s not actually virus. It is a vaccine that induces cells in your body to produce a protein called the spike protein. Your body then recognizes the spike protein as something that’s not supposed to be there and creates an immune reaction against that. Then, if you are exposed to the virus in the future, your body will recognize that quickly as being something it needs to get rid of, and that creates the immunity.”
Yavapai County Community Health Services spokesperson Terri Farneti said she expected to receive another delivery of the vaccine before the end of 2020, with pharmacies like Walgreens and CVS able to begin vaccinating the general public soon.
Health officials say the Moderna vaccine is easier to store and has a longer shelf life than the Pfizer vaccine. Both require two doses that need to be administered about a month apart to ensure full vaccination. The Arizona Department of Health will be informed each week of how many doses to expect. It will allot those, by county, based on the percentage of residents in a priority group. Distribution information will be reported back to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
At YRMC, all elective, or non-urgent, inpatient and outpatient procedures have been put on hold since Dec. 21, because of the rising COVID-19 hospitalizations. “This was a difficult decision, but one that is necessary due to high COVID-19 admission rates at our hospitals,” said YRMC Chief Operating Officer Keith Nichols. “By pausing outpatient and inpatient hospital procedures, we manage bed capacity and staffing levels to care for the high patient volumes we are experiencing.”
Despite the busy hospitals, Boush said he doesn’t want to discourage anyone with COVID-19 symptoms to seek medical treatment. “Dignity Health, Yavapai Regional Medical Center is well-prepared to care for patients during the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said. “Anyone in need of care, especially emergency care, should not hesitate to seek the care they need.”
Meantime, health officials stress the continued importance of hand washing, masks and social distancing. QCBN
By Brent Ruffner and Bonnie Stevens, QCBN