As pharmaceutical companies do their utmost to develop vaccines against coronavirus as fast as possible, Lyon County Public Health is well into the planning phase for distributing those medicines when they are available.
Emergency Preparedness Director Jennifer Millbern says the agency has a four-phase process ready.
The second phase would be older residents, other residents in long-term care people either working or staying in detention centers. Phase three would include essential workers and children, with the final phase involving the rest of the general public.
Once a vaccine is in hand, Millbern expects two different delivery methods. So-called open pods will resemble drive-through flu shot clinics that will be open to the public. Closed pods, meanwhile, means Public Health partners with another agency or entity and goes to that location to distribute the medicine.
MIllbern says Public Health has been planning for a pandemic vaccine response effort for decades.
For the last several months, Millbern has joined KVOE’s Newsmaker segment every Tuesday to update the county’s response to coronavirus. Starting this week, Millbern will be on at 7:15 am every Thursday.