CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia has prioritized who the first are to receive the new vaccinations for COVID-19.
Initially the shots were planned for front line healthcare workers and staff and patients in West Virginia nursing homes. At the Charleston Area Medical Center, they’ve had to further prioritize who will get the vaccinations due to the limited supply.
“Right now there’s not enough to go around for everyone, so we are prioritizing and offering it to groups in phases,” said Dale Witte, spokesman for CAMC.
Those first shots were administered last week and they continue to be given as the supply allows. About half of those identified for phase one of the hospital’s vaccination plan have been inoculated. Witte added it’s not just doctors and nurses.
“It’s respiratory therapists, physician assistants, dietary people bringing meals, or environmental services folks who are handling housekeeping. There’s a lot of folks included in the first round,” he explained.
Among the top priority, which are often out of sight to many, are those working the the hospitals laboratory. There tests are being administered run to determine who has the virus and whose in the clear. Witte explained those lab workers have been largely the unsung heroes.
“They’re on the front lines for sure because they’ve been providing all of the tests since March. I think we’ve done close to 55,000 tests,” he said.
The vaccinations, both from Moderna and Pfizer, continue to roll into West Virginia regularly and are being distributed by the West Virginia National Guard and overseen by the COVID-19 Task Force. Due to the supply demands, the COVID vaccine is not a requirement for CAMC employees like flu shots or other vaccinations.
“We’ll eventually branch out to other clinical areas and keep branching out until we’ve offered it to everybody, but at this time, it’s not mandatory, ” Witte said.