First doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine given to CCHC employees

Cloud County Health Center administered a few shots of hope in the battle against COVID-19 with the arrival of the first doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on Thursday.
Dr. Dorothy Breault, Dr. Daniel Garlow and Dr. Justin Poore were the first of the Cloud County Health Center (CCHC) employees to be vaccinated.
CCHC received 80 doses of the Pfizer vaccine. The doses are to be used to inoculate frontline health workers battling the COVID-19 pandemic.
Poore said that the doctors wanted to show people that the vaccine is safe. He said all of the providers have studied the data and are pleased with its effectiveness and safety. When people are able to see others getting vaccinated and not getting sick, they are going to be more willing to get vaccinated themselves.
The shot itself?
"It wasn't bad," said Dr. Breault after receiving her shot.
"It didn't feel any different than a flu vaccine," said Dr. Poore.
Approximately 24,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine were shipped to Kansas on December 14-15. More doses are expected in the coming weeks.
Pfizer's vaccine is shipped from its manufacturing site at -76 to -90 degrees.
"The doses arrive here thawed," said David Garnas, CCHC administrator. "We have five days to use them."
Another vaccine - the Moderna vaccine - was nearing approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the company is preparing to ship millions of doses across the United States.
Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are a two-dose series, with the second vaccine needed 21 to 28 days after administration of the first dose.
Garlow, Breault, and Poore will receive their second shots in 21 days.
The vaccines will not initially be for children (those under 18) or pregnant women.
The initial vaccine distribution is geared towards healthcare providers and long-term care residents, in line with the Center for Disease Control's ACIP (Advisory Committee for Immunizations Practices) recommendations. The Kansas Department of Health & Environment (KDHE) expects this distribution to continue through January.
The Pfizer vaccine is being distributed from its manufacturing site in Portage, Michigan, near the city of Kalamazoo. The vaccine packages are being shipped by UPS and FedEx.
Packaging and shipping the vaccines is not easy. According to USA Today, Pfizer personnel take five-dose glass vials of vaccine out of subzero freezers and pack them into the company's specially designed shipping container. These insulated containers hold between 195 and 975 five-dose vials and are about the size of a carry-on suitcase. The vials are stored in flat, pizza box-sized compartments, each of which holds 195 vials.
A fully-loaded thermal container, which holds up to 4,875 doses of vaccine and is reusable, weighs about 70 pounds.
Kits containing syringes, alcohol wipes, vaccination reminder cards for the necessary second dose, and other items were already shipped to vaccination facilities.
“I think the people who are getting vaccinated are very appreciative and starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel,” Garnas said.
Both Poore and Breault emphasized that the vaccine is just part of the ongoing effort to get the virus under control, stating that people should continue to wear masks, social distance, avoid gatherings and wash your hands.
“It (vaccine) is going to be another tool in our tool box,” Poore said.