LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Some people in Kentucky could be vaccinated for COVID-19 in less than two weeks, according to Gov. Andy Beshear.
In a press conference Thursday, Beshear said Kentucky is expected to receive more than 38,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses in the first shipment from the federal government. About a third of that shipment will go to frontline healthcare workers at 11 different hospitals in the state, including three hospitals in Louisville.
Baptist Health Louisville and UofL Health will each receive 975 doses of the vaccine and Norton Hospital will receive 1,950. Each hospital will decide how to split up the doses among their staff.
Beshear said more than 25,000 doses would be sent to CVS and Walgreens locations. Those vaccine doses will be intended for long-term care residents and staff only.
Betsy Johnson, President of the Kentucky Association of Healthcare Facilities said she was concerned that this first shipment wouldn't be enough to cover everyone.
"Workers and staff outnumber the amount of doses that are expected to come to Kentucky," she said. "So, our number one ask right now is how is the state of Kentucky going to decide who gets the first round of doses?"
Gov. Beshear said the state's total number of doses and the plan for where they will be distributed is subject to change.
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Pfizer and Modern are still waiting for the FDA to approve their vaccines for emergency use. If they're approved, Kentucky expects to get doses of the Modern vaccine as early as two weeks after Pfizer's arrives.
Beshear estimated that the state will receive the Pfizer vaccine by Dec. 15, so the Modern vaccine, if approved, could arrive by Dec. 29.
The governor said the first shipment of vaccine doses will just be for the initial vaccine. Both Pfizer and Moderna's vaccines require an initial dose and a booster dose. The booster vaccines are expected to be delivered approximately three weeks after the initial doses.
In all, Beshear said the state has decided on 11 Kentucky hospitals where the first distribution of the Pfizer vaccine will be allocated. All of the locations are capable of storing the vaccines at the low temperatures required. He expects the state to start vaccinations as early as December 15.
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