SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER ZAC
SCHULTZ.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THE COVID-19 VACCINE IS SOON
TO BE ENROUTE TO WISCONSIN AND
WILL BE IN JECTDED INTO THE ARMS
OF FRONTLINE HEALTH CARE
WORKERS.
UW HEALTH IS ONE OF THE HUBS
THAT WILL RECEIVE THE PFIZER
VACCINE WITH ITS REQUIREMENT
THAT IT BE KEPT AT TEMPERATURES
BELOW MINUS 90 DEGREES FARREN
HEIST.
DR. MATT ANDERSON IS IN CHARGE
OF THE DISTRIBUTION AND JOINS US
NOW FROM MADISON.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> SO WHEN EXACTLY ARE SHIPMENTS
OF THE PFIZER VACCINE EXPECTED
TO ARRIVE?
>> WE'RE EXPECTING THEM TO COME
EARLY NEXT WEEK, DEPENDING UPON
SHIPMENT DATES AND EVERYTHING.
WE'RE EXPECTING EARLY IN THE
WEEK.
>> SO WHAT IS IT LIKE FOR THIS
DAY TO BE UPON US THAT PEOPLE IN
HOSPITALS LIKE YOURS WILL SOON
BE ABLE TO GIVE THIS VACCINE FOR
COVID-19?
>> I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF
EXCITEMENT AND HOPE THAT IT
BRINGS.
I THINK THERE'S ALSO THE
REALIZATION THAT THIS ISN'T
GOING TO BE AN ON/OFF SWITCH FOR
THE PANDEMIC.
BUT IT'S ANOTHER TOOL FOR HOW WE
CAN APPROACH AND MAKE PROGRESS
IN REDUCING COMMUNITY SPREAD AND
INFECTIVETY RATES AND SUFFERING
AS A RESULT OF COVID.
THERE'S A LOFT EXCITEMENT AND
HOPE TEMPERED WITH THE
REALIZATION THAT WE STILL HAVE
MONTHS AND IMPORTANT DAYS AHEAD
OF US.
>> HOW MANY VACCINES WILL YOUR
HUB GET AND HOW WILL THEY BE
STORED THERE?
>> WE'RE EXPECTING AROUND 4,000
HERE WITH THIS FIRST SHIPMENT,
BUT THAT NUMBER IS STILL A
LITTLE BIT UP IN THE AIR.
THEY'LL BE STORED IN OUR ULTRA
COLD FREEZERS WHO ARE GOING TO
BE HERE AND SOME OF THOSE DOSES
DISTRIBUTED OUT TO OTHER PARTS
OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL REGION.
>> SO YOU WILL GET 4,000, WHICH
JUST DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THAT
MANY, BUT THEY WILL THEN GO TO
YOUR FRONTLINE WORKERS AND
LIKEWISE AT OTHER KIND OF
DISTRIBUTION SITES?
>> CORRECT.
THE 4,000, WE'RE NOT CLEAR AT
THIS POINT HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE
FOR UW HEALTH EMPLOYEES VERSUS
OTHER SITES.
THE DISTRIBUTION IS DETERMINED
BY THE DHS AND THE STATE
DISASTER MEDICAL ADVISORY
COMMITTEE.
SO AS THE SUPPLY FOR THE
DIFFERENT VACCINES BECOMES
AVAILABLE, THAT'S HOW IT WILL BE
DETERMINED WHO'S GETTING WHAT IN
WHAT PORTIONS.
>> WHICH WORKERS THEN, SAY AT
YOUR HOSPITAL, GET PRIORITY?
>> THE PRIORITY IS REALLY
DETERMINED BY WORKPLACE RISK
EXPOSURE.
SO FOR THOSE WHO HAVE THE
GREATEST DURATION, FREQUENCY OR
INTENSITY OF EXPOSURE.
SOME EXAMPLES OF THOSE WOULD
INCLUDE OR ANESTHESIA TEAMS,
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS, ICUs,
UNITS TAKING CARE OF COVID
PATIENTS.
THOSE FOLKS UNDER THAT
HIGHEST-RISK GROUP.
>> SO COMPLICATED.
HOW ARE THEY TRANSPORTED FROM
YOUR HUB?
AND WHAT'S THEIR SHELF LIFE?
>> SO THE SHELF LIFE IF YOU HAVE
THE VACCINE IN THE ULTRA COLD
STORAGE AND YOU TAKE IT OUT, YOU
CAN TAKE SEVERAL HOURS TO THAW.
IF YOU MAINTAIN REFRIGERATION,
YOU HAVE FIVE DAYS WITH WHICH TO
ADMINISTER THE VACCINES.
ONCE YOU GO AHEAD AND OPEN THAT
VIAL AND DILUTE IT AS YOU HAVE
TO TO PREPARE, YOU HAVE SIX
HOURS TO GIVE IT AT THAT POINT.
>> HOW LONG UNTIL IMMUNITY TAKES
EFFECT AFTER A VACCINE?
I KNOW IT'S GOT TWO DOSES, SO
HOW LONG UNTIL YOU ARE KIND OF
VACCINATED FROM COVID-19?
>> SO ONE THING JUST TO
REITERATE IS THAT WE KNOW THAT
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY 100%, YOU
KNOW, IMMUNITY AT THIS POINT ON.
WE KNOW THAT THE NUMBER IS
ACTUALLY ENCOURAGING, BUT NOT
THERE.
FROM A STANDPOINT OF WHICH DOSES
AND HOW MUCH IMMUNITY IT'S A
WEEK AFTER THAT SECOND DOSE WHEN
YOU'RE GETTING THE MAXIMUM
IMMUNITY BENEFIT.
THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET
THE SECOND DOSE, BECAUSE IT'S
ONLY PARTIAL AFTER THE FIRST AND
THERE'S STILL STUFF THAT --
INFORMATION THAT WE DON'T KNOW
ABOUT THE DURATION.
BUT THAT SECOND DOSE IS REALLY
IMPORTANT.
>> AND THEN ALL OF THIS WE NEED
TO SUGGEST THAT IT WILL BE SOME
TIME UNTIL THE GENERAL PUBLIC
CAN GET THIS VACCINE, CORRECT?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
WE'RE GOING TO BE EXPECTING THAT
TO BE MORE IN THE SUMMERTIME
FRAME AND HOPEFULLY IT WOULD BE
SOONER IF WE HAD A GREATER
NUMBER OF VACCINES, GREATER
SUPPLY CHAIN CAPABILITIES.
WE'LL HAVE TO WATCH AND SEE.
BUT WE ARE EXPECTING IT TO BE A
NUMBER OF MONTHS BEFORE IT'S
AVAILABLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
>> SO BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, WHAT
IS YOUR GUIDANCE?
>> FOR THE PUBLIC, THE SAME
THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING
ABOUT CONTINUE TO BE REALLY
IMPORTANT.
AVOID LARGE GATHERINGS.
KEEP OUR SOCIAL PHYSICAL
DISTANCE FROM EACH OTHER.
THAT PEOPLE WEAR MASKS, THAT
THEY HAVE HAND HYGIENE
PRACTICES.
WHILE IT'S EXCITING THAT WE
DON'T WANT TO DECLARE VICTORY
TOO EARLY AND THERE ARE A LOT OF
THINGS TO DO TO MAKE SURE WE
REDUCE SUFFERING OR UNNECESSARY
COMPLICATIONS FOR COVID-19.
>> ALL RIGHT.
DR. MATT ANDERSON, THANKS VERY
MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR