Even as they continue counting hospitalizations and deaths from the coronavirus, local health authorities are planning to start vaccinations. Some residents of the Quad Cities could begin receiving the vaccine as early as next week.
Ed Rivers is Director of the Scott County Health Department.
"Health care workers in particular and those in hospital settings are at the front of the line to get the vaccine because of their exposure to patients and their vital presence to keep the health care system running. As more vaccine becomes available, more health care workers will receive the vaccine."
And as more vaccine becomes available, the next in line will be residents of long-term care facilities.
The next group will be people considered essential workers, according to Nita Ludwig, Administrator of the Rock Island County Health Department.
"Employers can being making sure that they keep updated on the roster of employees and businesses that meet those definitions of essential or critical infrastructure workers while others may get vaccinated at a later date."
Rivers says the planning includes how to store the vaccine, where to administer it, and how to notify people to get vaccinated.
And he says one more challenge will be dealing with the different rules and procedures required by the two different states - we just have to be patient.