Delaware Public Health: Still plenty of vaccine doses available

By Tim Mastro
Posted 3/13/22

DOVER — There is still a plentiful supply of COVID-19 vaccines in Delaware, more than a year after a shortage during the early stages of the rollout.

More than 2 million vaccine doses have …

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Delaware Public Health: Still plenty of vaccine doses available

Posted

DOVER — There is still a plentiful supply of COVID-19 vaccines in Delaware, more than a year after a shortage during the early stages of the rollout.

More than 2 million vaccine doses have been delivered to the Delaware Division of Public Health’s warehouse or directly to pharmacies via the Federal Provider Program. DPH reported 1,699,832 doses have been administered as of Friday at 11:59 p.m.

DPH director Dr. Karyl Rattay said no one should have to wait for a vaccine dose or a booster shot. It’s a far cry from last winter when demand outpaced supply as the state used a phased distribution plan based on risk factors.

“We’re very appreciative that many people patiently waited their turn last winter,” Dr. Rattay said. “But at this point, no one should worry if it’s your time to get a booster. Please get your booster. There’s plenty of vaccine available.”

Some doses at the DPH warehouse are set to expire in the near future.

Agency spokeswoman Sharon Smith said there are 2,724 doses of the Pfizer vaccine for ages 12 and up with an expiration date of June 30. There are 4,290 doses of Pfizer’s youth vaccine, for children between the ages of 5-11, which will expire May 31.

DPH also has 2,880 doses of Moderna due to expire May 17 and 730 of the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine with an expiration date of April 11.

These numbers only include vaccines at DPH’s warehouse, not those that have been shipped to community partners or sent directly to pharmacies.

“Fortunately, we’ve not had many doses of vaccine expiring in our warehouse,” thus far, Dr. Rattay said.

Delaware has ordered fewer and fewer amounts of vaccine from the federal government compared to the early stages of its distribution plan.

DPH did not receive any doses between June 2, 2021, and Aug. 17, 2021, as the state elected to only obtain vaccine via the Federal Provider Program at that time.

The state began increasing its supply in November, as it pushed booster doses, which has continued into March.

The largest shipment in the last 90 days contained 9,340 doses arriving at the DPH warehouse Dec. 28. That number is well below the amount that was arriving a year ago which was routinely over 10,000 and as high as 32,940 doses on April 5, 2021.

“We’ve really conscientiously made efforts not to order vaccines that we don’t think we’re going to be using,” Dr. Rattay said. “But the great thing is, there is a lot of vaccine available. Vaccine is now very abundant in our country and in our state, and so should not be at all a limiting factor for anyone eligible to get a vaccine at this point in time.”

For a list of vaccination sites, visit here.

COVID-19 Two Years Later
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