If all goes to plan, and vaccine shipments arrive on time, COVID-19 vaccinations could begin at Nebraska long-term care facilities next week.
On Friday, Governor Pete Ricketts said that the state is preparing to begin vaccinating long-term care facilities, provided that the additional COVID-19 vaccines arrive as expected in the next couple of weeks.
Nebraska is slated to receive an additional 11,900 Pfizer vaccines next week and another 11,900 the following week, Ricketts said, and will “bank them” all for the pharmacy program that will begin vaccinating staff and residents at long-term care facilities the week of December 28. Nebraska long-term care facilities are in Phase 1A of the state's vaccination plan.
If the Moderna vaccine is approved Friday or Saturday, as expected, Ricketts said Nebraska will receive 32,000 doses. The Moderna vaccine will be distributed to hospital clinics, health departments, and other long-term care facilities not part of the pharmacy program through Walgreens and CVS Pharmacy.
Ricketts said 4,069 Nebraskans had been vaccinated this week, many of them being front line health care workers and emergency responders.