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Lee Health is expecting the first shipment of a COVID-19 vaccine next week.
“We expect to receive it next week. We aren't sure yet how much,” Lee Health spokesperson Jonathan Little said Tuesday.
The first shipments are being provided by the federal government and are of a limited quantity, according to Lee County Public Safety Director Lee Mayfield. Those shipments are expected to go to hospitals and long-term care facilities first.
The Lee County Board of County Commissioners heard from Mayfield and Lee County Public Safety Director/Emergency Medical Services Benjamin Abes Tuesday as part of an informational meeting about the COVID-19 vaccination rollout and the county's role to serve as a support mechanism to the state.
"There are a couple that we are following very closely as they approach the end of their initial trials and move towards an emergency use authorization by the Food and Drug Administration," Abes said.
The Pfizer vaccine approved Friday received emergency use authorization with the first shipments arriving in Tampa, he said. Abes said the vaccines are being distributed throughout Florida counties.
Abes said the county has received "the first information from the FDA’s analysis of the vaccine.".According to data he presented, the number of people with COVID-19 cases significantly dropped off compared to those who didn’t.
On Thursday, a Moderna vaccine is going for emergency authorization, he said. "They reported 94.5% efficacy across all participants in their study," Abes said.
"There’s been a lot of talk about the side effects of vaccination especially with each of the different vaccines that are out there," Abes said. "No. 1, it’s an injection so we would expect some pain and redness at the site that’s to be expected just like any other injection. Also, when you stimulate the immune system we would expect there would be some effects from that including some of the effects you see there -- fever, fatigue, headache and chills. This data is for the Pfizer vaccine."
The same effects are also shown in the information from the Moderna vaccine trials he has seen.
The adverse effects are for the first dose. A second booster dose would be needed for both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine. The after-effects would be most pronounced on the booster shot, he said.
Avis noted there are several other vaccines going through the trial and review process. Those include the University of Oxford/Astrazeneca vaccine going through trials and a vaccine being worked on by Johnson & Johnson. Those vaccines are expected to apply for authorization in early 2021, he said.
Lee County Manager Roger Desjarlais said he wants to ensure that the information the public receives about the vaccine is "factually accurate" and "without an emotional response." Desjarlais said the county will be assisting the agencies and the supply chains in the distribution of the vaccine.
Mayfield said there is a limited supply of vaccines currently. The first vaccines will go to hospital workers and long-term care residents and staff, he said. As the supply increases, first responders would be next in line for the vaccine, followed "hopefully" by "older adults with pre-existing conditions," Mayfield said.
Mayfield it is still "too early to tell" if there will be a vaccination site for the public.
Commissioner Ray Sandelli asked if whether the public will be able to request a certain vaccine if multiple vaccines are approved. Mayfield said it is too early to answer.
Commissioner Cecil Pendergrass wanted to know whether there will be a record system to document who receives the vaccine. Desjarlais said he believes there will be such a system at the state level.
Following the presentation, the commission voted to extend the state of emergency related to COVID-19.