OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — On Wednesday, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts spelled out how many COVID-19 vaccine doses he expects to be coming to the state, when the doses might be arriving and when the general public could start receiving it.
If approved, Nebraska expects to see more than 100,000 doses arrive in December. That’s based on our state’s population of people ages 18 and older Ricketts said.
The first vaccines will go to healthcare workers, pharmacists and anyone else who comes into close contact with COVID-19 patients on the job. After healthcare workers, long-term care patients will be a priority during the vaccination’s first phase of distribution.
The governor said he estimates the general public could start getting the vaccine around April.
If Pfizer’s vaccine receives emergency approval by the FDA on December 10, Ricketts said the state will receive an estimated 15,600 doses the first week and more as the month goes on.
The FDA is scheduled to review the emergency approval of Moderna’s vaccine, which doesn’t require ultra-cold storage as the Pfizer version does, on December 17. Ricketts said the state might start receiving that vaccine as early December 21.
Both versions of the vaccine will require two doses 2-4 weeks apart.
On November 20, the governor said a backlog of contact tracing had built up due to insufficient personnel. Today, he said that the backlog was caught up and contact tracers are now focusing on new cases.
More: Ricketts: More contact tracers due to backlog; new treatment in use
Watch his remarks below or on our Facebook page.
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