Pfizer vaccine is coming to Jackson, plans to distribute at JMCGH soon

Deaths in the United States caused by COVID-19 has reached nearly 300,000 people giving the U.S Food and Drug Administration many reasons to make sure a vaccine for the virus was issued soon.

The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine met the FDA's statutory criteria for an Emergency Use Authorization.

West Tennessee Healthcare is expecting close to 2,000 doses of the vaccine sometime this week.

“The hospital here in Jackson may receive our first shipment of the vaccine on the 18th and out plans are to start rolling that out as soon as the morning of the 19th", says Chief compliance and communications officer for West Tennessee Healthcare, Amy Garner.

The Center’s for Disease Control and Prevention advisory committee on immunization practices also voted to recommend the use of the vaccine in people 16 years of age and older.

The first people to get the vaccine within the West Tennessee Healthcare system are front line direct patient care staff and physicians.

“We already have plans to vaccinate our frontline health care workers, we are going to get about 1950 doses for our entire system", says Garner.

Once they receive the vaccine at the Jackson Madison County General Hospital they plan to vaccinate one person each minute in a 3 - 4 day time period.

More than 3 million doses shipped out and are going to health care workers and nursing homes across the country this week.