Community Chat

[goldensrbest]

I called my doctors office yesterday, to get any information ,on when 65 yr. vaccines will start, yet another way to find out , here in maine,they are doing older age group in maine still ,only place in york,is at a church, she said many people are upset how it is going here in maine, one problem is finding cold stoage site, i got to thinking ,would not grocery stores have this?

[Krimpette]

I get mine at my local hospital.  It was arranged for by my Primary Care doc.  (It's a geriatric practice affiliated with the hospital.)

[Eileen in Virginia]

Here in Virginia, DH and I got our first doses of the Moderna vaccine at the pharmacy in a local supermarket. They're also making the vaccines available through chain drug stores and some schools. 

[goldensrbest]

Hospitals here are not giving them here.

[millieshops]

@goldensrbest   supermarkets do have cold storage, but I don’t see why they would need it to be as cold as the Phizer vaccine seems to need.

The good news is that experience is showing that some portion of that vaccine keeps for maybe 2 weeks without the unusual cold needed for longer storage.  And, certainly, the best news is that more vaccine is apparently on the way soon.  The problems everywhere are as much because of limited supply as for any other reason.

I live in a Florida county that has vaccinated close to 60% of my fellow seniors, yet there are still well over a hundred thousand of us waiting — and waiting and waiting.  The state needs millions of doses yet to get anywhere near herd immunity.  

[Kachina624]

@goldensrbest.  Covid vaccines must be stored at extreme low temperatures, much lower than any commercial freezer can achieve.  The freezers are made especially for the vaccine.

"Currently, the labels for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, including the EUA label in the U.S., state that the vaccine must be stored in an ultra-cold freezer at temperatures between -80ºC and -60ºC (-112ºF to ‑76ºF). It can remain stored at these temperatures for up to 6 months."

[goldensrbest]

A church giving the vaccine,seems odd, the lady at the doctors office,said she does not know how drug stores are going to do this, Riteaid, is suppose to be getting them,none close to my area, unless walgreens will be included.

[Bhvbum]

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@Kachina624 wrote:

@goldensrbest.  Covid vaccines must be stored at extreme low temperatures, much lower than any commercial freezer can achieve.  The freezers are made especially for the vaccine.

"Currently, the labels for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, including the EUA label in the U.S., state that the vaccine must be stored in an ultra-cold freezer at temperatures between -80ºC and -60ºC (-112ºF to ‑76ºF). It can remain stored at these temperatures for up to 6 months."

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This is ONLY until it ships, then it is on dry ice, and then refrigerated for up to 5 days.  The vaccine DOES NOT HAVE TO BE KEPT AT THOSE LOW TEMP in a freezer at the vaccination site, dry ice accomplishes that when shipping.  Go to the Pfizer site, it gives all the specifics, along with the monitors on each package of vaccine that track the actual temp.  

We have had private pharmacies in VA giving the Pfizer vaccine for weeks now.

Here is the Pfizer info:  https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/info-by-product/pfizer/downloads/storage-summary.pdf

[Imaoldhippie]

@goldensrbest ..............I doubt the church is giving the vaccine, most likely the chuch is being used as a local site where the injections are being given.

[Kachina624]

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@goldensrbest wrote:

A church giving the vaccine,seems odd, the lady at the doctors office,said she does not know how drug stores are going to do this, Riteaid, is suppose to be getting them,none close to my area, unless walgreens will be included.

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@goldensrbest.  The church is probably just a location that agreed to let the health department use their facility.  I had mine at a grocery store pharmacy but it was just using the store as a venue by the state health department. 

Drug stores like Walgreens and CVS have staff trained to give shots.  I always get my flu shots there.  Anyone who works in a medical office should know that.