PORT TOWNSEND — Jefferson Healthcare officials plan to provide second doses at appointments that have been made beginning Saturday — if vaccine arrives as expected.
To date, the hospital has administered 4,356 doses of vaccines, providing 3,345 first doses and 1,011 second doses, said Amy Yaley, hospital spokesperson, in a press release.
These numbers include Phase 1A and Phase 1B, 75 and older who are Jefferson County residents or who have a Jefferson Healthcare primary care provider, she said.
Care Team specialists for home health, oncology and primary care patients with two or more high-risk co-morbidities have contacted active patients, 75 and older to vaccinate with a small shipment of Moderna vaccine, “reinforcing our method of vaccinating the most frail and vulnerable population,” Yaley said.
State allocations to hospitals recently were slashed, and hospital officials were unable to follow through on plans to continue first-dose vaccination efforts for the 75-and-older age group.
Last week, Jefferson Healthcare received approval for a shipment of 975 Pfizer doses to be allocated for second-dose administration, Yaley said.
“Provided this shipment is received as well as a similar order the following week, Jefferson Healthcare will fulfill our second-dose appointments slated to begin on Feb. 6,” Yaley said.
The Jefferson Healthcare website “will have the most up to date information about our inventory levels and appointment scheduling when available,” Yaley said.
Those 65 and older — who are Jefferson County residents or Jefferson Healthcare Primary Care patients — can register to be notified when new age groups open for scheduling on the Jefferson Healthcare vaccine page.
“We remain committed in our support of the state’s effort to get as many vaccinated as quickly as is safely possible,” Yaley said.
“We also welcome the state’s new efforts to bring in additional partners and to stand up its own mass vaccination efforts and look forward to supporting our own Public Health and Emergency Management to do the same.
“We understand vaccinating our community will take many organizations building on the successful efforts already underway.”
