BATON ROUGE, La (BRPROUD) – Louisiana could be just days away from getting the first batch of the COVID-19 vaccine and hospitals like Baton Rouge General are preparing right now on how to give it to its employees.
It’s a special delivery this week to Baton Rouge General. Inside a moving truck was an ultra cold freezer. It will hold doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. Hospital leaders said they have been preparing for the vaccine for nearly a month.
“Getting vaccinated is critical to returning to a new normal state,” said Raneesha Ford, Director of Pharmacy Services at Baton Rouge General.
Ford said the plan is to give the vaccine to staff who have direct patient contact in the COVID units.
That is more than 700 people. It is not yet known how much of the vaccine will go to the hospital.
Ford explained, “Educate that this is a two dose immunization. You are not protected until you receive that second dose in the vaccination and to go ahead and schedule for the recipient to come back to receive that second dose.”
Ford added that a high number of team members, including herself, plan and are willing to get the vaccine while still wearing a mask and practicing social distancing.
“I think that it is time for us to be able to go on with life. Of course we’ll still have to practice social distancing and being cautious, but at least to know that we are taking the next steps to returning to normal by being vaccinated. I think that is going to be huge and is gonna improve morale and just give everybody a new refresh as we go into 2021,” said Ford.
Pfizer is expected to go before the FDA for approval of its vaccine on Thursday.
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