8 / FAMILY HEALTH GUIDE / FEBRUARY 2021
Contributed photo
Dr. Zach Bailey receives
his COVID-19 vaccination
last month at Blue
Mountain Hospital from
nurse Jenelle Moulton.
COVID-19
WHEN TO GET VACCINATED
Len’s Pharmacy recommends that everyone gets the vaccine at the earliest opportunity
By Greg Armstrong
For the Blue Mountain Eagle
Here at Len’s Pharmacy, we have had a
wild ride in 2020, and it looks like 2021 (part
II) is lining up for more adventure! One thing
we have learned over the last year is that life
is full of choices, and each one of us needs
to make the choices we feel are best for our
situation.
A major choice coming up this year for
most of us is when do we get vaccinated for
COVID-19? Let’s take a look at a few of the
factors that will go into making this decision.
Some initial questions that will help us
make the decision are:
• Would we like to see the COVID-19
pandemic end?
• Has anyone I know been personally
affected by COVID-19?
• Have previous vaccination programs
been successful in ending pandemics or out-
breaks of diseases?
• Does the potential benefit of the vaccine
outweigh the potential risks of the vaccine?
Obviously, these are not the only ques-
tions, but they provide a good start for gaug-
ing our decision to receive the vaccine.
Eagle file photo
A vial of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine sits
on a counter at the Grant County Health
Department.
Now let’s take a look at why this vac-
cine is not as easy to distribute and adminis-
ter as the annual influenza vaccine. Currently,
there are two COVID-19 vaccines approved
for administration in the United States,
Pfizer BioNTech and Moderna. The storage
requirements of these vaccines are very strin-
gent and must be followed to ensure the vac-
cine’s viability. Pfizer BioNTech’s COVID-
19 vaccine needs to be stored, which includes
transportation, at negative 112 to negative 76
degrees Fahrenheit (-112°F and -76°F). That
is cold — colder than Seneca’s 1933 Oregon
State record low of -54°F. Our standard home
freezers are normally set at 0°F. Special Sub-
Zero Freezers are needed to store and main-
tain the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.
The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine requires
a storage and transportation temperature of
between negative 13 and 5 degrees Fahren-
heit (-13°F to 5°F). More than likely, Grant
County will see the Moderna COVID-19
vaccine.
Even after it is in the local freezer, there
are more restrictions that limit how freely it is
thawed and how long it can be at this higher
temperature. Each vial of the vaccine con-
tains an official 10 doses and, once punctured
for the first vaccine administration, must be
discarded after six hours. The logistical ram-
ifications of this is that all 10 doses must
be given in a short window. This prevents
“drop-in” vaccinations, as we are able to do
for the annual influenza vaccine and many
others. There must be a schedule for those 10
vaccine doses prior to beginning the first vac-
cination. What this means is that you must
watch for group vaccination opportunities.
See Vaccine, Page 9