CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) -The federal government and the Department of Defense (DOD) have release what’s being call a playbook for the eventual distribution of a COVD-19 vaccine.
A vaccine is being developed by multiple pharmaceutical, which would still need final approval from the FDA after a phase three trial is completed.
Dr. Amy Edward, of University Hospitals, joined Dan DeRoos on Wednesday morning to discuss what a rollout of the vaccine could look like for Northeast Ohio.
Included in the playbook:
— For most vaccines, people will need two doses, 21 to 28 days apart. Double-dose vaccines will have to come from the same drugmaker. There could be several vaccines from different manufacturers approved and available.
— Vaccination of the U.S. population won’t be a sprint but a marathon. Initially there may be a limited supply of vaccines available, and the focus will be on protecting health workers, other essential employees, and people in vulnerable groups. The National Academy of Medicine is working on priorities for the first phase. A second and third phase would expand vaccination to the entire country.
— The vaccine itself will be free of charge, and patients won’t be charged out of pocket for the administration of shots, thanks to billions of dollars in taxpayer funding approved by Congress and allocated by the Trump administration.
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