Jennie Stuart Health has received 500 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, and distribution has begun among its frontline workers, hospital spokeswoman Selina Staub confirmed in a news release Wednesday.
Under the hospital’s distribution plan, all frontline patient care providers, as well as food and nutrition and housekeeping teams, will be prioritized during the first phase of the COVID-19 vaccination rollout. Subsequent phases, which are expected to occur over the next several weeks, will include other hospital employees and physician’s offices, Staub said. She added the hospital expects another shipment within four weeks in preparation for the second administration of each dose, as the Moderna vaccine requires an initial shot and a subsequent booster.
“We are pleased to have received a shipment of the vaccine so we can begin distribution among our staff that has so diligently cared for some of our sickest patients. It is important for us to offer this level protection to our front-line providers and staff,” said Jennie Stuart Health CEO Eric Lee.
An estimated 450 hospital employees are expected to be vaccinated. Hospital employees who are interested in receiving the vaccine will have the option of participating, although it will not be mandatory, Staub confirmed.
The Christian County Health Department also received its first shipment of the vaccine this week, County Health Director Kayla Bebout confirmed. The department hopes to begin the vaccinations Monday, she told Hoptown Chronicle. The health department is closed Dec. 23-25 for the Christmas holiday, but contact tracers will continue to work through the break to contact all positive cases, according to a department Facebook post.
This week, about 80 regional hospitals and more than 90 local health departments are receiving over 70,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine to inoculate more health care workers, according to a news release from Gov. Andy Beshear’s office.
“These vaccines are safe, they’re effective, and they will save the lives of thousands of Kentuckians and help us end this long nightmare,” Beshear said Wednesday. “By the end of this month, we are expecting more than 200,000 doses of vaccines that will slow the spread of COVID and protect our health care heroes, our veterans and residents and workers at long-term care facilities.”
Over the last two months, the number of coronavirus patients being treated at Jennie Stuart has continued to grow and reached a record high on Wednesday of 31.
Over the last week, the hospital has treated an average of 26 patient per day.
As hospitalizations have increased, so has the strain on front-line health care workers, who have been battling the stress and fatigue that comes with treating COVID-19 patients for nearly eight months. In order to address the community’s need as cases continue to surge, nearly every front-line nurse has been working one to two extra days each week, on top of their typical three 12-hour shifts, Beth McCraw, the hospital’s vice president of nursing and clinical services, told Hoptown Chronicle.
As of Wednesday, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have been administered to more than 8,800 Kentuckians, predominantly health care workers, according to the state. With both vaccines, a second dose is required about three weeks later. Beshear said Kentucky is expecting more than 202,000 doses of vaccine before the end of the month with the second dose coming for each about three to four weeks later.
This story has been updated.
Julia Hunter is the engagement editor for Hoptown Chronicle. Reach her at julia@hoptownchronicle.org.
