Sacramento County Hospitals Prepare To Store, Distribute Coronavirus Vaccines
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — The more than 300,000 vaccines heading to California must be stored at ultra-cold temperatures that not even normal freezers can reach.
While the state prepares for shipments, hospitals in Sacramento County are also preparing for proper storage. The county is using funds from the CARES Act to assist with storing this vaccine.
"[The vaccines are] stored at minus 80 temperature, which is not your normal freezers," said Chad Hatfield, Chief Pharmacy Officer for UC Davis Health. He says its hospital system can store on site.
"Right now we have the ability to capture dry ice," he said.
Dr. Olivia Kasirye, the Public Health Officer for Sacramento County, says all hospital systems are ready for the vaccine.
"We are also purchasing some dry ice and also there have been other facilities that have actually reached out to us and made their storage facilities available," Dr. Kasirye said.
She does not anticipate storage issues for the limited first round of doses. If storage challenges do surface, the vaccine can be kept at normal refrigeration temperatures of slightly above freezing, but only for five days.
"If we had to go to that stage, the supply chain would really have to uptick and deliver products more often as opposed to delivering large shipments," Hatfield said.
For Emmanuel Garcia, a father of two who hasn't stopped working during the pandemic, a sign of any vaccine is welcoming, especially for the general public.
"Hopefully by summer, spring if possible," he said.
Gov. Gavin Newsom is expected to release more details about distribution plans later this week. The California Department of Public Health released a draft of the state's distribution plans. Californians could see a phased approach to COVID-19 vaccination with the first round focusing on health care workers.
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