Local pharmacies preparing for Coronavirus vaccine

COLUMBIA (WOLO): A second Covid-19 vaccine, from Moderna, began distribution today across the country. 

Now the U.S. has two vaccines in their arsenal to combat the Coronavirus. 

While most people still have to wait months to get a vaccine though, pharmacies have been on standby, getting ready to distribute the shot to the community.

For Addison Livingston, Pharm D. at Hawthorne Pharmacy on Taylor street, playing a main part in the Coronavirus vaccine distribution is essential to the local community. 

“We’re excited about the opportunity to be a part of this process. We’re an integral part of the process as well. I think this is the only way we’re gonna be able to do a mass vaccination is to have community pharmacy involved.”

But he says it’s not without challenges.

“We need to dispense our regular medication and then kind of work this in and administer the vaccine to the general public. So it’s a challenge without a doubt. We anticipate giving a large number of vaccinations so doing that while we dispense our normal prescriptions is going to be a challenge.”

For months, he and his staff have been preparing their pharmacy for vaccine distribution- when they’ll receive their doses, how many doses they’ll get, and how they’ll store each vaccine. But many of those questions are still up in the air. 

“Pfizer has pretty strict storage requirements. We’re waiting on information about the Moderna vaccine. That should come out this week. It’ll tell us a little more about the packaging , dose distribution, how many doses will be in a vile.  We’ve completed all the applications to be a provider, completed the continued education requirements, facility requirements, so just waiting for the vaccine to be released in phase 2.”

In the meantime, Livingston encourages residents to do their own research before taking either vaccine.

“A lot of people are ready to receive it right now. A lot of people are concerned about it. Do your research, educate yourself, and make a decision based on whats right for you and your family.”