• By Todd Luck
• Posted Thursday, December 17, 2020

Forsyth Health Department expected to receive vaccine next week

The Forsyth County Department of Public Health is expecting to receive vaccine for COVID-19 next week as part of the phased rollout for vaccinating the community.

Forsyth Public Health’s first shipment is expected to be 2,800 doses of the Moderna vaccine, pending its approval by the FDA today. It will be administered following Phase 1a of the state’s vaccine rollout plan, in which it’ll be given to health care workers fighting COVID-19 as well as long-term care residents and staff. It’s vitally important for the public to continue to wear masks, practice social distancing and wash their hands during the rollout.

Wake Forest Baptist Health already received a shipment of the Pfizer vaccine and has begun vaccination. The vaccines were developed quickly, building upon years of work in developing vaccines for similar viruses.

The vaccines were thoroughly tested and proven to be effective. There is no COVID-19 virus in the vaccines, instead the vaccine imitates the infection, so that the body creates antibodies for it. The vaccines have been shown to have no major side effects. Some people may have temporary reactions after being vaccinated, such as swelling from the injection, tiredness or feeling off for a day or two.

Vaccine will eventually be available to everyone who wants it, but supplies are currently limited. Independent state and federal public health advisory committees have determined the vaccine should be initially given to those most at risk, reaching more people as more vaccine becomes available from January to June.

The phases for vaccine rollout are:

Phase 1a Health care workers fighting COVID-19 as well as long-term care residents and staff

Phase 1b Includes adults with two or more chronic conditions as defined by the CDC like serious heart disease, cancer, Type 2 Diabetes, COPD and sickle cell disease, and those working in prisons, jails and homeless shelters

Phase 2 Adults over 65; people with one chronic condition; essential frontline workers like police, teachers and food processing; health care workers; and those living in prisons, homeless shelters or migrant and fishery housing

Phase 3 College and university students, K-12 students when there is an approved vaccine for children, and those employed in jobs that are critical to society who are at lower risk of exposure

Phase 4 Everyone who wants a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccination