LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville residents now have three different COVID-19 vaccines they could potentially receive.
LouVax at Broadbent Arena has been using only the Moderna vaccine, but next week, that's scheduled to change as officials begin administering the Pfizer vaccine. Louisville also received 1,500 doses of the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, but health officials say those doses won't be available to just anyone.
"We intend to deploy those 1,500 for targeted missions for transient housing, people experiencing homelessness and other relevant groups that are difficult to reach and to vaccinate," said Dr. SarahBeth Hartlage, associate medical director for the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness.
According to health officials, the volunteer team was managing just one vaccine last week and is now managing three vaccines is posing some logistical challenges. Broadbent Arena will now have to be prepared to store the Pfizer vaccine in extra-cold temperatures, while more Moderna doses are allocated to clinics and smaller vaccination sites.Â
"Next week, I predict our production will be down just a little bit, because we're slowing our appointments to make sure we have our processes in place and we want to make sure we're being safe,"Â Hartlage said.
Despite the transition, officials said a Moderna booster shot will be available at Broadbent Areana for patients who received the Moderna vaccine for their first shot.
While there are now several kinds of vaccinations making their way around Louisville, health care providers won't be able to offer patients a choice of which kind they receive due to limited available doses.
"A provider can only give what they've received," Hartlage said. "Patients that, for whatever reason, feel like they need to choose one product or the other are really only in the position of choosing what provider they receive the vaccine from."
Picking a different provider would prove challenging as vaccination appointments are quickly booked up around the city. Officials stress that all of the options are safe and effective and not to turn down an opening.
"I encourage you not to shop around," Hartlage said. "Get vaccinated when your turn comes up, because every dose helps save lives and not just yours."
Next week, LouVax will finish shots for educators and focus on people 60 and older, primarily from Norton's wait list. Right now, the waitlist has 20,000 people waiting for an appointment.
After Broadbent Arena transitions into using the Pfizer vaccine next week, officials said the site will be receiving more doses per week than previously when administering Moderna. This means, more appointments will be available to eligible residents.
For information on eligibility and how to schedule a vaccine appointment, click here.
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