State could receive Moderna vaccine as early as next week

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — State health officials say Wisconsin could receive 100,000 doses of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine as early as next week. That’s twice what the state received in its initial shipment from Pfizer.

While frontline health care workers started receiving doses of the Pfizer vaccine this week, another priority group is people in long-term care facilities.

The state Department of Health Services has activated a federal partnership with pharmacy chains that would distribute vaccines to long-term care facilities.

Pharmacy chains CVS and Walgreens will administer vaccines to nursing home residents and workers. State officials hope this could be done by the end of January, Wisconsin Public Radio reported.

Once pharmacy chains get the vaccine from the federal government, they will set up inoculation timetables for each facility in Wisconsin.

Nursing homes are going over details with the Department of Health Services on when and how this will happen. Consent of long-term care residents or their representatives will be needed before any vaccinations are given, possibly as early as Dec. 28.

Health officials say there are approximately 28,000 nursing home residents and at least that many staff in Wisconsin.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to green light the Moderna vaccine, possibly this week.

The Moderna vaccine is easier to handle than the one from Pfizer because it does not need to be kept in the deep freeze at minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 70 Celsius).