Local health care workers received the first of two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine late last month.
The drive-thru event took place at Pahrump Valley Fire and Rescue Services Station One, beginning Wednesday morning Dec. 30, according to Fire Chief Scott Lewis, who also serves as director of Nye County Emergency Management.
“We are exercising tier-1 of the COVID-19 vaccination plan for Nye County, and this is just one part of that process, being held here at Pahrump Valley Fire and Rescue Station One,” Lewis said. “The vaccinations are for the health care workers and those who come into contact with the public from the health care industry.”
Lewis also said the entire process for administering the shots was very straightforward and simple, upon completing the mandatory paperwork.
“We completed approximately 100 vaccinations this morning and the process has been going quite well,” he said. “We are exercising a drive-thru pod, because that way there is very little interaction with the person who is going to be vaccinated. There is also a process of completing paperwork, then there’s the actual vaccination. Following that, there is a 15-minute post-vaccination time period where we evaluate them to make sure there is no adverse impact to them, and then they are released.”
Lewis also noted that last week’s vaccinations came just days after other inoculation sites in the area.
“We also held one in Beatty and Amargosa, on Monday and Tuesday, so today, we are doing this for health care workers, Pahrump Valley Fire and Rescue personnel, and the sheriff’s office so we are capturing multiple platoons and groups within those agencies. Today will be the last one for this week here at Station One, but we will be having additional ones in the coming weeks at different locations. I also want to be clear that this is not for the general public because this is following the state guidelines on the tier process, as to who receives a vaccination at this point. So far, operations have been going great here today and the people have been very cordial and patient. There actually hasn’t been much of a lag time at all as they are moving through quite quickly, and no adverse impact so far.”
As stated on its website, the Southern Nevada Health District is administering the COVID-19 vaccine in coordination with the Nevada State Immunization Program and State Public Health Preparedness staff.
As Lewis mentioned, the 4-tiered distribution process is being utilized to ensure there is equitable access to the vaccine for the critical populations identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
For additional vaccine information, contact the Southern Nevada Health District at
702-759-4636, or logon to https://covid.southernnevadahealthdistrict.org/vaccine/
Contact reporter Selwyn Harris at sharris@pvtimes.com. On Twitter: @pvtimes