LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – The initial distribution plan for the COVID-19 vaccine included those most at risk, healthcare professionals, first responders and those in long-term care facilities. But the shots were given to the public at a Lexington Walgreens during the Christmas holiday.
Late Monday afternoon, we heard from Walgreens about its plans to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine. They said that the general public was not eligible to receive these doses, but it appears that this has happened.
Over the weekend, we reported that doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were available to the general public at Walgreens in Lane Allen. A spokesman for Walgreens said that they continue to work with long-term care institutions to meet their vaccination needs as part of the CDC Pharmacy Partnership.
They also said that Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine could stay in a refrigerated temperature for just five days, and they didn’t want the doses to be missed.
They said the remaining doses of clinics scheduled in Kentucky were relocated and used in clinic facilities on Christmas Eve, which were originally scheduled to occur at a later date.
Additional doses were then offered to local first responders, the Walgreens pharmacy and members of the store staff and community residents. That would explain how people managed to get the COVID vaccine at that pharmacy over the weekend.
“In the future, if these cannot be provided to a long-term care institution, if this happens again, we will provide some additional guidance for those who are most at risk, that the pharmacy will be able to provide for. But again, under all the policies in force, this should not have happened, I don’t think it was intentional, but it should have been done differently, ”said Governor Andy Beshear.
Earlier today, Mayor Linda Gorton and health commissioner Dr. Kraig Humbaugh received the COVID-19 vaccine at the Fayette County Health Department. About an hour before that happened, they canceled the event, saying they wanted to wait until it was more widely available so that these doses could go to those who really needed it.
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