Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine is on its way to cities throughout the country. Clark County has already received its first shipment of the vaccine. Washoe County received 3,900 doses on Tuesday morning. The box contains four trays, each with 975 doses or 195 vials. Each vial of vaccine contains five doses.
The Washoe County Health District will collect the shipment and put them in its ultra-cold freezers until they are ready to administer.
"We have purchased our own ultra-cold freezer," James English, Washoe County's Regional Operations Chief for COVID-19 Response & Vaccine Deployment said. "We can store up to 117,000 doses in that. I don't think we'll ever get to that level."
Some doses of the Pfizer vaccine have already arrived in Northern Nevada. Washoe County Health District says these vaccines will be distributed in rural counties in Northern Nevada.
Governor Sisolak mentioned in his press conference Sunday that "test runs" had been done to ensure a smooth process in the distribution of the vaccine.
He also released this statement on Monday:
“This is a great day for Nevada and hope is on the horizon. I am proud of the collaboration that has gone into this effort and I want all Nevadans to know that while this first allocation is small, it is the first of many. It’s critical to remember we won’t see large-scale vaccination throughout America until the spring. We must continue to follow the same public health measures we’ve all heard on repeat over the last nine months: avoid gatherings, limit exposure by working from home and staying home as much as possible, wash your hands, wear your mask.”
Washoe County's first shots are slated to be administered Thursday, with the first doses going to the four acute care hospitals. Renown Regional Medical Center will set up a Point of Dispensing (POD) at the health district's testing site at the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center. WCHD will deliver the vaccine to Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center, Northern Nevada Medical Center and Incline Village Community Hospital on Wednesday. Officials say the federal government will be in charge of vaccinating staff at the Reno VA Hospital. English says the first shots will not happen right away for logistical reasons.
"It changes almost hour by hour, so we did not have a definite because we also did not know exactly when the vaccine would be approved at the federal level," English said.
Washoe County did not know when it would be in the queue to receive its first shipment either.
Officials say 3,900 doses is not a large amount but it is an important first step to get the vaccination process underway. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration could approve the Moderna vaccine by this weekend, giving it the ability to begin shipping its first doses shortly after approval. Washoe County Health District expects to get at least one shipment per week. Its December allocations are 32,000 doses. Both vaccines require two shots. Pfizer's requires the second shot, 21 days after the first. Moderna has a 28-day period between the two shots.
"Really excited to have that showing up," English said. "Finally, after all this time. It will still be a long road but I do think you'll start seeing some movement really quick."
English says Washoe County could have widespread distribution of the vaccine by March or April.
For a breakdown of doses for all other Nevada counties, see the document below:
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