Louisville will open its first drive-through COVID-19 vaccination site at Broadbent Arena at the Kentucky Expo Center in a few days. The mass vaccination site will initially be for healthcare workers, EMTs and medical first responders, not everyone.
SarahBeth Hartlage, interim medical director at the Louisville department of health and wellness, said the department administered 110 vaccines on Monday. Once the Broadbent site is ready to go, daily capacity could increase significantly.
“When the website is running at full capacity, we anticipate at least 600 people per dose, per day, which is to say 600 first doses and 600 second doses,” she said.
Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, the only real two approved in the usa, require an initial dose accompanied by a booster a couple weeks later.
On Monday, Kentucky's public health commissioner Steven Stack organized the way the state will allocate vaccines for future phases of distribution, with a focus on quickly age 70, first responders and K-12 teachers.
In line with the state's projections, Hartlage said it will be a number of weeks before Louisville is ready to enter the next phase of vaccinations.
Those who receive vaccinations in the Broadbent Arena site is going to be asked to park their cars and wait a brief period to monitor for reactions, though Hartlage said the department hasn't seen anyone experience severe side effects.
There happen to be few severe reactions reported across the nation since vaccinations began earlier this year. Hartlage said you will see nurses, EMTs and helpful information on managing medical emergencies on-site.
Hartlage encouraged medical workers who aren't associated with a hospital system to achieve to the health department to schedule their vaccination by emailing covidvaccine@louisvilleky.gov. Hospital systems are selling vaccines for their employees.
Despite a possible ramp-up of vaccines within the coming weeks and months, Hartlage said current vaccine availability can often mean young, healthy people might not be eligible until late summer or early fall.
She and Mayor Greg Fischer encouraged Louisville residents to continue taking precautions, particularly when celebrating New Year's Eve now.
Hartlage said New Year's Eve has the potential to be another super-spreader event. It's too early to understand the number of infections Christmas gatherings produced, partly because back-to-back holidays have affected lab schedules.
She said people should be careful when they do meet with people in other households.
“If you are planning to travel to see relatives again it is recommended that you quarantine before and after, get tested pre and post,” she said.
Hartlage said a person with symptoms should cancel their New Year's intends to prevent spreading COVID-19 to other people.
Louisville reported its third consecutive week of declining case numbers, about 2,500 cases for the week ending Dec. 26. Hartlage asserted decrease might be associated with lab delays or insufficient testing due to Christmas.
The city reported 19 COVID-related deaths in the last week, again lower than previous weeks.
Hartlage warned there might be a “rebound” in the event and deaths reported within the coming weeks following a holidays.
