First round of COVID-19 vaccines given in county

The two hospitals in Washington County received their first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines on Dec. 17. Washington County Hospital received 15 doses of the vaccine and administered them on Dec. 18-19 while Hanover Hospital gave 41 vaccinations. The first vaccinations at WCH were administered to Dr. David Hodgson and Dr. Kellen Sherlock on Dec. 18 and Andrea Blumer, APRN, on Dec. 19, while the first doses at Hanover Hospital were administered to Dr. Linda Warren and Dr. Roger Warren.

“We are so very thankful for the Covid-19 vaccine,” said Washington County Hospital CEO Roxanne Schottel. “It brings a sense of hope that we can turn the corner with this pandemic.”

She said WCH’s first 15 doses were taken out of a sub-zero freezer at 6:25 a.m. last Thursday and put into a cooler with dry ice for transport. They were delivered to WCH by vehicle.

“Once we received them, they were put in our pharmacy refrigerator to thaw and then be administered,” she said. “The expiration of the vaccines was Tuesday morning… but were all given by Saturday.”

Schottel said she didn’t know when the next round of vaccines would come or how many would be in the shipment.

Hanover Hospital administrator Brittni Oehmke said the next round of COVID-19 vaccines for Hanover Hospital healthcare workers “will probably come out next week.”

“The amount of vaccine will be variable by facility based on how many staff members still need to be vaccinated,” she said, adding that long term care residents at Hanover will receive their vaccines when it is available to long term care facilities.

Washington County Health Department director Tiffany Hayman said on Tuesday morning that she expected to receive the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine either that day or the following day.

“I received a call from the state stating we have 60 doses allotted to us to vaccinate LHD and EMS staff,” she said. “Our plan is to vaccinate [on Dec. 23] in the afternoon at scheduled intervals with EMS. After we administer the vaccine to EMS and [local health department,] if we have remaining doses, we will be reaching out to other health facilities in the county. The vaccine can be stored in our freezer here at the health department for 30 days.”