HARTFORD, Conn. (WTIC Radio)—Hartford HealthCare is ready to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as early as Friday if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorizes emergency use of the Pfizer vaccine during a hearing on Thursday.
The vaccine's first shipment would arrive at Hartford Hospital and, according to Director of Systems Pharmacy Eric Arlia, distribution will first be focused on health care providers in Hartford HealthCare's acute-care facilities.
"The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has told us they will ship the vaccine within 24 hours of approval. So we have teams ready, even if it comes over the weekend," Arlia said during a press briefing Wednesday.
With the FDA declaring the Pfizer vaccine safe and effective, Arlia said Hartford HealthCare officials expect that emergency use authorization is imminent after Thursday's hearing.
Hartford HealthCare officials are also looking to help ease some fears concerning the vaccine, particularly for those who may be uncomfortable with getting it.
In regards to concerns of the vaccine's development being rushed, Senior System Director for Infection Prevention Keith Grant said that is not the case since the technology used is nothing new.
Essentially, the vaccine sends a message to the body to look out for a specific spike protein of the virus, SARS-CoV-2, so that the body can develop immunity or anti-bodies, Grant said.
The technology to do this was developed back in the early to mid 2000s, so "it's not a new technology," Grant said.
When it comes to who should get the vaccine, officials encourage people to do their research and to get the vaccine when possible.
According to Dr. Patrick Troy, Division Director of Pulmonary Critical Care and Sleep Medicine for Hartford Hospital, vulnerable populations were intentionally targeted during development trials, including younger individuals who have comorbidities such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
"We wanted to make sure, and the FDA insisted that both Pfizer and Moderna specifically enroll these groups of folks to look and see whether they had an equally good response, and the answer is that they did," Troy said.
Even those who have had COVID-19 should get the vaccine, Troy said, to boost the immune system.
When more supplies arrive, officials said distribution of the vaccine will eventually reach pharmacists due to the governor's executive order allowing pharmacists to administer it.
