TOLEDO, Ohio — ProMedica has received a shipment of Pfizer BioNTech vaccine on Thursday, ahead of the anticipated Dec. 22 delivery date, the health system confirmed.
The health system said it expects to start vaccinating employees on Friday.
Pending FDA approval, the Moderna vaccine is also expected to be shipped to ProMedica the week of Dec. 21.
On Dec. 4, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine confirmed that the groups being prioritized first are healthcare workers who involved in the care of COVID-19 patients, EMS responders, and vulnerable individuals who live near each other and those who care for them (for example: nursing homes, assisted living homes).
During that news conference, DeWine said the state anticipates a shipment of 201,000 vaccines from Moderna on Dec. 22. These will go to 98 hospitals and 108 health departments. Hospitals will vaccinate those dealing with COVID patients. Health departments will vaccinate people like EMS.
DeWine said that also on Dec. 22, state expects another shipment from Pfizer. The tentative number of vaccines in this shipment is 123,000. These will go to Walgreen and CVS for vaccination of those in congregate care settings.
A few days after that, DeWine says Ohio expects to get another 148,000 vaccines from Pfizer and 89,000 vaccines from Moderna.
Mercy Health St. Vincent Medical Center received its first doses of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccines on Tuesday.
Dr. Kevin Casey of Mercy Health St. Vincent Hospital in Toledo joined the DeWine's news conference via video on Tuesday and said the vaccination process is underway.
The leader of the critical care team, Dr. James Tita, chief medical officer for Mercy Health St. Vincent Medical Center and a respiratory specialist, rolled up his sleeve to receive the vaccine during the news conference.
"We have a vaccination committee that's been planning for weeks on who of the front line health care workers should receive it first," Casey said. "It's a very exciting day for us. ... It's almost as if the race is about to start. We've been waiting for the gun to go off. We're excited that the race is going to start."
