Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine arrives in Rhode Island; High-risk hospital workers to be vaccinated first

PROVIDENCE, R.I (WLNE) – Over the next two days, approximately 3,000 doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine will arrive at Lifespan hospitals as part of the state’s Phase 1 distribution plan.

Following the FDA granting emergency use authorization of the vaccine, the Rhode Island COVID-19 Vaccine Subcommittee met Monday morning for an emergency meeting. They recommended that hospitals begin vaccinating frontline hospital workers.

The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) then accepted the recommendation and communicated to hospitals that they may begin vaccinating these workers as soon as the vaccine arrives.

“A glimpse of hope,” Dr. Karen Tashima, Miriam Hospital Infectious Disease specialist said. “We’re hoping this vaccine if its taken by a lot of people that we’ll be able to break the back of the pandemic as they say.”

Dr. Tashima is one of the experts on the Vaccine Subcommittee where they discussed the roll out process.

According to RIDOH, initial shipments from vaccine manufacturers directly to hospitals will be arriving on Monday and Tuesday, and will first go to five hospitals: Kent Hospital, Newport Hospital, Rhode Island Hospital (and Hasbro Children’s Hospital), Women & Infants Hospital, and The Miriam Hospital.

Approximately 1,000 first doses are going to each facility.

Nursing homes will follow, receiving the first doses in a partnership with CVS and Walgreens on December 28th.

“Keep rolling it out and the vaccine will start getting it out to other health centers,” Dr. Tashima said. “I’m hoping we’ll see it in pharmacies so that the general public can access it shortly.”

The Vaccine Subcommittee panel also discussed concerns including inadequate data on pregnant and breastfeeding women and recommendations on allergic reactions.

“Women who are pregnant and are healthcare workers, they can consider getting the vaccine, but they may want to talk about it with their doctor first,” Dr. Tashima said. “People with severe allergic reactions, if someone has a bad reaction to the first dose, a severe one, then they would not take the second dose.”

Lifespan is preparing to rapidly administer the vaccine to its workers later on Monday, starting with those at the highest risk. Those at the highest risk include providers and staff who have direct contact with COVID patients or COVID fluids or materials.

The goal is to vaccinate all employees over the next several months.

“Lifespan is grateful for this allocation of the first coronavirus vaccine to help protect high-risk health care workers who are needed to treat our patients,” said Lifespan President and CEO Timothy J. Babineau, MD. “We are ready to quickly distribute the vaccine and after long months of battling this pandemic, we have powerful reasons for optimism that the end is in sight.”