Vaccines to protect against covid-19 are already being administered in Arkansas. Here is what we know so far about the state’s plans for rollout.
Vaccine distribution will occur in phases based on federal guidance, though the state doesn’t have to follow federal plans exactly.
So far, the state has made plans for Phase 1 of the rollout, which is divided into three parts.
Phase 1-A, currently in progress:
Healthcare workers, long-term care facility residents and staff, emergency medical services and law enforcement or firefighters who serve as first-responders, some correctional healthcare workers and other employees are eligible.
Hospitals vaccinate employees, pharmacies vaccinate long-term care residents and staff and community-based pharmacies vaccinate others.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson said the 1-A group includes 180,000 Arkansans and that his goal is to complete that phase by Jan. 31.
Hutchinson also announced Jan. 12 that school staff, including teachers, and Arkansans over 70 – both part of group 1-B – became eligible for vaccines Jan. 18.
School districts should contact the department's local health unit, pharmacies or other providers to schedule vaccination clinics for their employees, he said.
School employees should contact their districts for information on how to get the vaccine, he said.
Hutchinson said Arkansans age 70 and older should call participating pharmacies to schedule appointments.
Remainder of Phase 1-B, expected to begin in February:
Food/agricultural workers, firefighters and law enforcement not counted under 1-A, manufacturing workers, grocery store employees, public transportation workers, childcare workers, U.S. Postal Service workers, essential workers in government are eligible when this phase begins.
This group will get vaccines through community pharmacies and medical clinics.
Phase 1-C, expected to begin in April:
People 65 or older, people 16-64 with high-risk medical conditions, transportation and logistics workers, waste and wastewater workers, food service workers, shelter and housing workers, finance workers, IT and communications workers, media, public safety and public health workers will be eligible during this phase.
They will also get their vaccines through community pharmacies and medical clinics.
Prison inmates unassigned
State prison inmates, who have been hard-hit by the virus, haven’t been assigned to Phase 1. Department of Corrections Secretary Solomon Graves said a timeline has not been set to begin vaccinations among the state’s more than 13,000 prisoners.
After Phase 1, according to the Department of Health, Phase 2 is intended to vaccinate the “general population” while Phase 3 will finish vaccinating all people in need and move toward routine covid-19 vaccination.
ESPAÑOL: arkansasonline.com/news/2021/jan/27/distribucion-de-las-vacunas-contra-el-covid-19-en-/