CRESSON, Pa. (WJAC) – Pharmacists at Mainline Pharmacy stores throughout the region see this as their time to shine.
Their task, helping administer a live-saving vaccine as quickly and efficiently as possible.
“We’ve given almost 2000 doses so far,” said John Pastorek, pharmacist at Mainline Pharmacy in Blairsville.
Pastorek said most of the company’s doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine have gone to long-term care facilities and healthcare workers outside of a general healthcare system.
“I’m sure there are some that we haven’t gotten to, but we’re doing our best with the staff that we have,” he said.
Still, many have yet to return for their second dose of the vaccine.
Without it, Pastorek said patients will not develop an immunity to the virus.
“A challenging part of the process is making sure that when we do these first doses, we gotta be back there 28 days after,” he said.
The pharmacy is prepared to give those second doses to staff next week and to nursing homes in two weeks.
But the phones are still ringing off the hooks.
Many residents over the age of 65 or those with aged 16 to 64 comorbidities, individuals just added to the phase 1A of vaccinations, are calling or emailing constantly.
Staff are adding their names to a growing waiting list.
“I think it’s up to like 5,000 people now,” Pastorek said. “So our plan is to keep requesting for people that are eligible.”
While they wait for more supplies, pharmacy staff are looking ahead to the 1B and 1C phase of vaccinations.
They're planning to open large vaccination clinics in local counties in the coming months.
“We partnered with St. Francis University and we’re going to be using some of their facilities,” Pastorek said.
Pastorek said the pharmacy is looking for more potential locations throughout the area, hoping to vaccinate as many people as possible.
“I think it’s safe,” Pastorek said of the COVID-19 vaccine. “I think the only way we’re going to get society back to normal here is to get people vaccinated.”
Pastorek said the pharmacy will be looking for indivuduals to help staff the vaccination clinics when they are set up.
Email COVID@mainlinerx.com for more information.
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