Since the COVID-19 vaccines began rolling out to pharmacies across Louisiana, demand for the vaccine has out-paced manufacture supply.
However, today the Louisiana Department of Health announced new guidance for hospitals on what to do with any remaining allotment of vaccines after they have vaccinated people in priority Group 1A.
This means, if a hospital has any leftover supply of COVID-19 vaccines after vaccinating frontline workers and first responders in Group 1A, they will use those remaining vaccines to begin vaccinating people in the next Group 1B, which includes people age 70 and older and certain healthcare workers who work in an outpatient setting.
The health department anticipates the move will help lessen the burden on overwhelmed local pharmacies tasked with vaccinating the next priority group.
“We are so encouraged by our residents’ clear demand for the COVID vaccine,” said LDH Secretary, Dr. Courtney N. Phillips. “While demand is clearly outpacing supply, this is just the start. We do anticipate vaccine will become increasingly available in the coming weeks and months, and as it does we will continue to bring additional sites online. For now, 10,700 newly eligible residents will have the opportunity to get vaccinated this week, and that’s progress.”
“In the meantime, we will continue to work with our hospital partners to make the COVID vaccine increasingly available for their eligible patients and community members,” Dr. Phillips added.
The LDH encourages hospitals to begin using any remaining vaccines for the following groups:
- Persons ages 70 years or older in the community,
- Outpatient clinic providers and clinic staff,
- Urgent care clinic providers and staff,
- Community care clinic providers and staff,
- Behavioral health providers and staff,
- Dialysis center providers, staff and clients (if not already being vaccinated by their dialysis centers),
- Home health service providers and recipients,
- Dental providers and staff, and
- Students, residents, faculty and staff of allied health schools (if not already receiving vaccine or in a plan to receive from their respective schools).
