HARRISBURG — No need to worry, the COVID-19 vaccine is on its way despite winter weather. Governor Tom Wolf held a press briefing Tuesday to discuss the Commonwealth’s response and Director of PEMA, Randy Padfield, says all shippers of the vaccine have a contingency plan in place.
“So they have the ability to be able to hold the shipment if it’s unsafe to be able to travel. However, we have the ability to be able to also, at the Commonwealth Response Coordination Center, route them the best way to get to their destination because we have all the state agencies there and the best read on state road conditions.”
Padfield says, if needed, a plan could include the use of the National Guard, “Usually the ready resource for us and they work extremely well for us in these types of situations. You know, we probably would not have to go to the extent of helicoptering vaccine in. Much of this vaccine is able to be kept, even though it’s ultra cold, the way it is packaged and shipped it can be kept in that situation for an extended period of time.”
Padfield says a small number of vaccines were already delivered Monday and Tuesday this week, with larger shipments set for Wednesday and Thursday. He says their goal is to get all vaccines delivered, “Obviously there’s going to be some challenges. Even when we get it to the end point, some of the hospital and health care systems, depending on where it’s going may be impacted and not have the people to be able to inoculate because of the winter weather and not being able to get them in.”
He says they plan for all contingencies and having the ability to work with other state agencies and the Department of Health allows them to make the most informed decisions for a course of action.
