County of Orange Prepares for First Allocation of COVID-19 Vaccine
OC Health Care Agency Ready to Receive 25,350 Doses on December 15, 2020
County of Orange health officials were notified by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) on December 1, 2020 that the OC Health Care Agency (HCA) should make preparations to receive 25,350 doses of Pfizer-manufactured COVID-19 vaccine on December 15, 2020. The HCA will distribute this initial supply to Orange County (OC) hospitals for prioritization of their high-risk health care workers as part of Phase 1a of a multi-phased plan developed through the CDPH Community Vaccine Advisory Committee.
“COVID-19 isn’t over yet,” said Chairwoman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors Michelle Steel, Second District, “but this first batch of vaccines will help stop the spread of the virus.”
Though Phase 1a prioritizes health care workers, local hospitals will need to determine which segments of their employee population are at higher risk for contracting the virus due to this limited quantity. This may include those who work in emergency departments or intensive care units. The HCA will provide the first shipment to Orange County (OC) hospitals that are prepared and ready to administer the vaccines.
As more doses of vaccine become available, a greater portion of the Phase 1a population can anticipate vaccine availability in late December into early 2021. This includes residents of long-term care facilities, which includes skilled nursing facilities and assisted living facilities, who will coordinate obtaining doses through national retail pharmacies being supplied by the CDC. COVID-19 vaccine is likely to become more readily accessible to the general public in the spring of 2021.