Scottsdale's Update on Vaccine Distribution

The Scottsdale City Council gathered on Tuesday to discuss the latest efforts aimed at getting its residents vaccinated against the Coronavirus.

Michelle Pabis, the Vice President of Government and Community Affairs for Honor Health told council members that residents should keep an eye out for a new federal program being launched on Feb. 11. The program will distribute vaccines to pharmacies in local outlets like Fry's, Safeway, and Albertsons.

Pabis said while there are efforts to increase the number of vaccinations, Scottsdale is currently struggling to reach their demand with the number of doses the federal government has allotted.

“In the last two weeks, Maricopa County has received zero Pfizer doses,” Pabis said.

Because of limited supply, the state has selected primary groups to focus on receiving the Pfizer vaccine. The first group, called Phase 1A, includes hospitals, fire/EMS, outpatient clinics, and pharmacies. Phase 1B prioritizes school personnel and adults aged 75 and older.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Based on evidence from clinical trials, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was 95% effective at preventing laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 illness in people without evidence of previous infection.”

The Pfizer vaccine’s effective rate has emphasized the need for individuals with a high risk of infection or transmission, such as those in phase 1A and phase 1B, to receive it.

“We seek to work with governments to support distribution to their defined priority groups,” stated Pfizer Inc.

In addition to Pfizer Inc.’s efforts, Pabis said Scottsdale has put significant work towards ensuring individuals in these priority groups who want the vaccine may receive it.

“Pleased to announce that we have delivered over 2,100 vaccines to Scottsdale Unified School District, 2,800 to Paradise Valley Unified School District, and 500 to Cave Creek,” Pabis said.

She also said that a total of 285 police department personnel have received the vaccine.

Pabis said the Pfizer vaccine was authorized for emergency use by the FDA on December 11, 2020 and was in the hands of Honor Health by December 14, exemplifying their dedication to keeping Scottsdale citizens safe.

“We were one of the first sites to go live with vaccination on December 17. Let that set in for a moment,” she said.

When asked why there are not more conveniently placed locations to receive the vaccination, Pabis informed that the process vaccine providers must follow with COVID-19 is unprecedented when it comes to how vaccines are distributed to the public.

She added, “[The vaccine] is very fragile. Once it’s reconstituted, you only have six hours to use it. Every drop of that vaccine is precious.”