MADISON — Things have moved fast since SSM Health received its first shipment of the Pfizer and the Moderna vaccines in December, but that does not mean people should become lax in the protective measures to guard against the spread of the coronavirus, stressed Mo Kharbat, SSM Health Wisconsin’s regional VP of pharmacy.
“Wearing masks, social distancing, avoiding gatherings, etc. — will need to continue well into 2021 and until a large majority of our population has been vaccinated with both doses of the vaccine they receive,” he said. “We ask that people be patient.”
Distribution in phases
The first initial phase of distribution follows the CDC guidelines and recommendations on which groups are to be vaccinated first.
Top priority has been for frontline healthcare workers “who are at an increased risk for exposure to the COVID-19 virus,” said Kharbat. “That includes nurses on our ICU floors, Emergency Room staff, Environmental Services staff who enter patient rooms to clean them, Urgent Care physicians and nurses, etc.”
The first shipment from Pfizer included about 6,000 doses, with more coming in weekly shipments for the foreseeable future.
SSM Health has vaccination sites in Madison, Fond du Lac, and Waupun, and, as a state-identified storage hub, they are assisting in the distribution of the vaccine to other vaccination sites as directed by the state Department of Health Services.
“Here in Madison, we are averaging about 500 staff members vaccinated per day,” Kharbat said.
Over 7,000 employees at SSM Health have been vaccinated, with some now receiving their second dose of the vaccine.
As of January 6, they had expanded their coordination with local health departments in Fond du Lac, Green, Rock, Sauk, and other counties to vaccinate other frontline healthcare workers who are not employed by SSM Health.
This expanded list included dentists, orthodontists, home health care providers, school nurses, and occupational therapists.
The next phases of distribution
According to the CDC’s website, the next initial phases of distribution prioritize seniors, front-line essential workers, and persons aged 16 and up with high-risk medical conditions. As of December 18, the Pfizer vaccine has not been authorized for use in individuals under the age of 16.
On January 7, 120 residents at SSM Health St. Mary’s Care Center received their first dosage of the Moderna vaccine, thus expanding the distribution beyond frontline healthcare workers.
Kharbat said that there is no concern about running out of vaccine at this time. “We certainly anticipate vaccinating members of the public once we have vaccinated the high priority groups identified by the CDC.”
He said he expects vaccinations of the general public to begin in the spring.
“SSM Health plans to distribute the vaccine as long as is needed to vaccinate anyone who would like to be vaccinated,” he continued. “As more information becomes available about long-term immunity and any potential need for future vaccine distribution, we will evaluate the information as it is made available.”
Concerns about the vaccines
“Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines do not contain any virus,” Kharbat said. “Using new technology, these vaccines use bits of protein to ready your immune system to fight off the COVID-19 virus. While you may experience side effects like low fever, muscle aches, etc. after receiving the vaccine, these symptoms are caused by your body building its immune response.”
“Both of these vaccines have shown incredible results of about 95 percent effectiveness in preventing infection,” he added, “which is wonderful.”
Moral concerns about the development of the vaccines through the use of aborted fetal cell lines were addressed by Fr. Joe Baker, ethicist for the Diocese of Madison, in the December 31 edition of the Catholic Herald.
In that article, he specified that there are three categories vaccines can fall into: “(1) those that do not use abortion-derived cell lines whatsoever; (2) those that do not use abortion-derived cell lines in production, but use them in another point of the process; and (3) those that use abortion derived cells in the production of the vaccine.”
The best ethical choices are those in group one, “while those in group two are preferable to those in group three.”
Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines fall into category 2 as the vaccines were developed using a cell line from an abortion that occurred in 1972.
The cell line was used in confirmatory testing and not production.
“Despite grave concern about the use of abortion-derived cell lines, there is, in principle, nothing morally prohibitive about using these two vaccines,” said Father Baker.
“Until an equivalently safe and effective alternative from group one exists, individuals, especially those whose health is at risk and those who are responsible for the health of others, may make use of the vaccines from Moderna or Pfizer ‘under protest’ without incurring moral guilt.”
“In light of a proper Christian concern for personal health, the health of others who are vulnerable, public health, and the common good,” he continued. “there must be serious reasons for refusing immunization against dangerous contagious diseases. At present, particularly because these vaccines are so new, because so much is unknown about their consequences, and because they all use abortion-derived cell lines, some people may still be led to refuse vaccination in good faith.”