LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Distributing a COVID-19 vaccine to Kentucky's 4.4 million residents will likely take a year or more to complete, the state's top doctor said in a news release Friday.
The Kentucky Department for Public Health expects the first shipment of a vaccine to arrive "in late 2020 or early 2021," according to a news release.
The agency has filed a 48-page draft plan that outlines how the state plans to get the vaccine first to certain health care workers and first responders — "those most at risk," State Health Commissioner Dr. Stack said in the release.
"The plan will accommodate vaccinating these essential workers in every county across the commonwealth," Stack said. "... Supplies of the vaccine will be limited, at first. This is the reason for a phased distribution approach."
Following a framework for COVID-19 vaccine distribution created by a committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Kentucky's draft plan outlines "candidate groups that will be given serious consideration as priority groups" for receiving the vaccine.
A draft of Kentucky's COVID-19 distribution plan (Courtesy of Kentucky Public Health)
"Ultimately, (Kentucky Department for Public Health) and the Vaccine Allocation Committee will use new guidance in conjunction with previous published guidance to ultimately determine who the target populations and target groups are," the draft plan says.
Along with health care workers and first responders working the front lines of the pandemic, Phase 1 of the proposed distribution plan also includes those living and working in long-term care facilities as well as correctional facilities.
According to the draft plan, Phase 2 of distribution would target school teachers and faculty as well as public transportation, utilities and grocery store workers.
A draft of Kentucky's COVID-19 distribution plan (Courtesy of Kentucky Public Health)
Adults ages 60 and older and adults and children who are at greater risk of contracting COVID-19 would be included in Phase 3 of distribution.
By Phase 4 of the draft plan, the vaccine would be distributed among the general population.
A draft of Kentucky's COVID-19 distribution plan (Courtesy of Kentucky Public Health)
Even though Gary Pendleton of Louisville won't be first in line under the draft plan, he plans to get the vaccine as soon as he is able.
"If they had a proven vaccine, I would take it. Definitely," he said. "I feel like that's the right thing to do.
"It's socially responsible to take every step you can take to not spread this further," he added.
Gov. Andy Beshear said Kentucky's plan "closely mimics" recommendations from a federal government plan that outlines how states should distribute the vaccine once it passes the necessary safety trials. Beshear and other state leaders said a vaccine is necessary to fully reopen the economy and return to normal.
Kentucky's COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, meanwhile, continue to climb. As of Saturday, 691 Kentuckians were hospitalized with the virus, and 185 of those patients were in ICUs, according to a report from Kentucky Public Health.
A final draft of the state's plan will be available after being reviewed by federal officials, according to the release.
For now, state health officials are asking residents to continue following safety precautions, including mask use and social distancing, until the vaccine is ready to be distributed.
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