PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) -- For about two weeks, health care workers in Philadelphia who have the highest risk of exposure to COVID-19 have been rolling up their sleeves for their first shots. Deputy Health Commissioner Dr. Caroline Johnson says distribution in the city is going well and vaccination schedules are on target.
In some parts of the country, there have been reports of logistical problems in getting the vaccines where they are needed. Johnson told KYW Newsradio's Carol Mackenzie on Tuesday morning that the city has not had any such trouble.
"Our experiences have been favorable," she said.
Johnson says supplies, though small, are arriving in the quantities promised. Vaccines have been shipped either directly to hospitals or to the health department, which has been making hand deliveries to many places across the Philadelphia.
"I guess because we're a city, we're lucky enough to be able to drive vaccines where they need to go, so we have not had the distribution problems that I think some bigger geographic areas have had," Johnson said.
"We give out about as much vaccine as fast as we can get it."
On Monday, residents and staff in the city's long-term care facilities started receiving injections.
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"We still have several weeks to go before we're finished vaccinating all of our health care workers, so it's going to be a while before it's open to the public," Johnson said.
And by the time they do, she says, there shoulnd be nothing to worry about. Beyond some sore arms at the site of the injection, there have been no reports of adverse effects, allergies or bad reactions to the vaccine.
"Any new vaccine, you have some concerns about the about safety and about whether there are going to be adverse effects, so we've been watching pretty closely, as has everyone in the country, and we've not heard (about) any serious side effects or complications," Johnson said.
"There are a few sore arms, and that's to be expected. It sort of shows that the vaccine is taking, I'll say, and helping to build immunity. So our experience so far very good."