AKRON, Ohio — Two more health systems in Northeast Ohio will start to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine to its caregivers on Wednesday.
Both Southwest General and Summa Health report that they received shipments of the Moderna vaccine on Tuesday.
“For months, our physicians, caregivers and support staff have worked tirelessly to help support the fight against the novel coronavirus, COVID-19,” said William A. Young, Jr., president and chief executive officer of Middleburgh Heights-based Southwest General. “We believe the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is an effective means to help slow the spread of this disease. We are truly excited and hopeful to finally be at this point.”
Southwest General plans to hold its first COVID-19 vaccination clinics for staff and physicians on Wednesday starting at 6 a.m.
Meanwhile in Akron, 3,800 doses of Moderna arrived at Summa Health on Tuesday. Like Southwest General, Summa plans to begin vaccinating its employees on Wednesday morning.
You can see video of the vaccine arriving at Summa in the player below:
Also in Akron, the first 10 caregivers were able to receive the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at Akron Children's Hospital on Tuesday. The hospital posted images from the vaccinations on its Facebook page.
“I am so incredibly excited and relieved,” said Dr. John Bower, medical director of Infection Prevention and Control. “Vaccines are one of the most successful tools we have to fight the pandemic and get our lives back to normal.”
The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) announced the next allocation of COVID-19 vaccines coming to Ohio on Tuesday. A Pfizer allotment of 89,700 doses will arrive on Dec. 24, an increase of 19,500 more than was previously expected. An additional 69,700 Moderna doses will arrive later this week.
These new doses will go to hospitals that have not received vaccinations from the first allocation.
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