More El Paso healthcare workers receive vaccine shots as health dept. preps for Moderna vaccine arrival
EL PASO, Texas -- Covid-19 vaccinations are continuing across El Paso county. More health care workers are receiving the vaccine and the city's health department is also preparing for the Moderna vaccine.
Las Palmas Del Sol Healthcare Network officially began vaccinating their healthcare workers Saturday. The hospital network received 1950 doses the Pfizer vaccine Thursday.
The hospital network is using Las Palmas Medical Center centralized location to "streamline" the vaccination process.
"We've been sort of planning and prepping for this for weeks, I feel like months now" said Dr. Ogechika Alozie, chief medical officer for Del Sol Medical Center. "Tt was exciting. I think getting to the point today, where we're able to give those shots to our staff, sort of a combination, and a proof that our planning and everything went according to the way it should be."
Dr. Bhaskar Rao, internal medicine physician for the hospital network, was one of the healthcare workers who received the vaccine Saturday. He said he felt a sigh of relief.
"Because this makes it safer for me and my patients and it's the first step towards bringing this pandemic under control," he said.
Roughly 460,500 doses of the Moderna vaccine are expected to be shipped throughout Texas this weekend after the Food and Drug Administration authorized an emergency rollout on Friday.
Smaller hospitals and clinic in El Paso as well as the Department of Public Health and the El Paso Fire Department are among those expected to receive Moderna doses.
The city's health department opened up their Covid-19 clinics conducting run tests for their vaccination process by offering free flu shots to the public Saturday.
The clinics will offer Covid-19 vaccines once their available to the public.
Dr. Alozie said the big difference between the Pfizer and the Moderna vaccine is the temperature each are stored at. He said since hospitals have the recourses to be able to store the Pfizer vaccine correctly, it makes sense that other health care facilities, nursing homes and the health department will be receiving the Moderna vaccine first.
"They don't have the resources to go and get an expensive ultra cold freezer. So for the community, I don't think they should focus on which vaccine they get they both were great for the operators of the different systems will know that and they're putting those plans into play," Dr. Alozie said.
The health deparment will continue to offer flu shots at their Covid-19 clinics at the following dates and locations:
- 7380 Remcon, December 22 | 12PM – 4 PM
- 9566 Railroad, December 26 | 9AM – 3PM
- 220 S. Stanton, December 28 | 12PM – 4 PM
