(Des Moines) Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds on Wednesday is optimistic the FDA will approve Pfizer and Moderna vaccines by the end of this week. In the meantime, Reynolds says the state is ensuring they will be ready to distribute the vaccine once it arrives in the state.
Reynolds says the distribution strategy prioritizes health care workers and long term health care workers and staff in the first round of vaccine shipments.
She says hospitals receiving a portion of the first round of the Pfizer vaccine have been notified and are making plans to administer it to their workforce at their facility. Iowa is also participating in the Long Term care Pharmacy Partnership, a federal program leveraging the national pharmacy chain to distribute and administer the vaccine in long term care facilities statewide.
The Governor says pending FDA approval; they expect to start vaccinations in long-term care facilities as early as December 28.
Governor Reynolds says the state has also secured contract nurses across the country to temporarily work in Iowa hospitals in need of additional relief and staffing. Reynolds says more than 80 nurses will have started by the end of this week and anticipate around 104 nurses assigned in the coming days to work in the State’s hospitals through December 30. This is funded through Iowa Cares Allocation and will help ensure the State can handle increased hospitalizations during the holidays.
