Questions being examined for when COVID-19 vaccine becomes available (AUDIO)

MASON CITY — While a vaccine for COVID-19 may soon be available, the director of the Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health says there’s still a number of questions about delivering it to the public.

Brian Hanft says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been telling state and local health agencies to prepare for a mass dispensing plan. He says vaccinations are likely going to be two separate doses given about a month apart. “This vaccine is likely going to take two doses, which is going to add to the complexity in making sure people get it. Once you get the first shot, you’re going to come back either 21 or 28 days later for the second shot. A lot of that is going to deal with paperwork and we’re going to have to track all of that.”

Hanft says storage of the vaccine may be an issue.  “We’ve got logistical concerns related to how cold this vaccine needs to be maintained. One of the vaccines is going to have to be maintained at 70-80 degrees below zero, so we’re talking about keeping it on dry ice or keeping it in really expensive freezers, and those aren’t available.”

Hanft says when a vaccine is made available, the amounts are going to be small and earmarked first for those who need it the most.   “We’ve got 330 million people in this country who are going to need it, so it’s not going to be all available at one time. In fact it’s going to be in very, very small numbers early on, and those will likely go to our front-line first responders. People in the hospitals and the ICUs. Then it will kind of trickle out from there. As more information becomes available, we will certainly share that with people and keep them updated. In the meantime, we just continue our planning.”

Hanft made his comments Wednesday afternoon during the weekly City of Mason City/Cerro Gordo County COVID-19 press conference as you heard on AM-1300 KGLO. You can listen back to the entire news conference via the audio player below.