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Bismarck\u00a0 (NDDOH) \u2013 The ND Dept of Health provided an update Wednesday regarding its COVID-19 vaccination plan, including details surrounding distribution to priority groups.<\/p>\nBismarck\u00a0 (NDDOH) \u2013 The ND Dept of Health provided an update Wednesday regarding its COVID-19 vaccination plan, including details surrounding distribution to priority groups.<\/p>\n
\u201cNorth Dakota has been working for months and is ready to take action as soon as the vaccine is available,\u201d said NDDoH Immunization Program Manager Molly Howell. \u201cWe believe vaccine distribution could begin in North Dakota as soon as the week of December 14.\u201d<\/p>\n
Two companies, Moderna\u00a0and Pfizer, recently applied to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to authorize the vaccine for emergency use in the U.S.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0first allocations of the two vaccines will go to health care workers and long-term care residents. Vaccine will be available from pharmacies, public health and private health care providers.<\/p>\n
The North Dakota COVID-19 Vaccination Ethics Committee, which includes a physician, ethicist, local public health representative, representative of the Department of Human Services and a representative of the Department of Health, has prioritized who should receive the limited, initial supplies of vaccine.<\/p>\n
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\u201cBoth vaccines displayed about 95% efficacy, which means they will prevent a person from getting the infection up to 95% of the time,\u201d said Paul Carson, M.D., an infectious disease specialist and public health professor at North Dakota State University.\u00a0 \u201cBoth vaccines showed excellent protection against severe COVID disease.\u00a0 This level of protection would put them among the very best vaccines we currently have.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Dr. Carson explained that neither vaccine has shown any significant safety concerns. Both are wrapping up the FDA-required two-month post-vaccination safety review process after the closure of the trial, which typically will find over 90% of any serious complications of a vaccine.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe general public will likely be able to be vaccinated during the spring of 2021,\u201d said Howell. \u201cThis is dependent on vaccine manufacturing, additional vaccines being approved for use, and uptake of vaccine in earlier groups.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\u201cI plan to get the vaccine as soon as the health department considers me to be in an eligible group,\u201d said Dr. Carson. \u201cI will be strongly encouraging all of my family and friends to get the vaccine, and I would encourage all of you to do the same as soon as you are able.\u201d<\/p>\n
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