The first shipments of COVID-19 vaccines have arrived in Saline County, and are being distributed in accordance with the Phasing Plan created by the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH).
Three groups have come together to create a task force – the Saline County Office of Emergency Management (SCOEM), Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) and local community pharmacies. They have developed a plan to administer the vaccine in accordance with the guidelines released by the State of Arkansas.
Phase 1-A personnel will be given the opportunity receive the vaccine first. See the chart below ↓↓ for criteria to be in the different phases.
| PHASE 1-A Began 12/14/20 |
Health care workers (HCW), beginning with those in highest-risk settings for exposure to virus.
|
–Large hospitals (a total of 18) with highest volume of COVID-19 patients will receive direct shipment of vaccine to vaccinate their workers.
|
| –Workers in small hospitals will be vaccinated through specific pharmacies. These pharmacies may perform vaccinations themselves or transfer COVID-19 vaccine to the hospital for hospital staff to vaccinate their employees, depending on arrangement. | ||
| Long-term care (LTC) residents. | –LTC facility residents and workers will be vaccinated by specifically identified pharmacies that work with these LTC facilities. | |
| Other health care workers and first responders will be vaccinated through select pharmacies that have agreed to serve as Phase 1-A vaccination providers. | ||
| PHASE 1-B | Essential workers will be vaccinated through community pharmacies and medical clinics that have agreed to serve as Phase 1-B vaccination providers | –Examples of essential workers include day care workers, workers in K-12 and Higher Education, food industry (meat packing and grocery), correctional |
These organizations were chosen in this order by the ADH because of their increased risk of exposure, and they are now developing deployment plans.
Further plans will be announced as vaccine deliveries stabilize and resources become more available. Vaccines are not available by approaching pharmacies or ADH. In this beginning phase, they will only be distributed to those who meet the Phase 1-A criteria. Those personnel are being contacted through the plan developed by the task force.
More information will be provided as the situation develops. For more details on the vaccines and the Arkansas Department of Health Vaccination Plan, visit the ADH website at https://www.healthy.arkansas.gov/programs-services/topics/covid-19-vaccination-plan.