Philadelphia Medicine Fall 2020 - 14

p h i l a m e d s o c .org

cover story continued

MAJOR PROVIDERS
Forty-two companies or organizations are conducting volunteer
tests on humans for potential COVID-19 vaccines, with 152 preclinical evaluations, according to numbers, as of press time, from
the World Health Organization. Vaccine development companies
and organizations include:
BioNTech/Fosun Pharma/Pfizer, 44,000-volunteer trial,
multiple dose, Phase 3
Moderna/NIAID, 30,000 volunteers, multiple dose, Phase 3
University of Oxford/AstraZeneca, 30,000 volunteers, multiple
dose, Phase 3
Johnson & Johnson (Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies),
60,000 volunteers, single dose, Phase 3 *
Source: World Health Organization and Bloomberg

ain
m
d
e
te R
mi es
Li niti
tu
or
p
Op

quickly can we get these providers all trained about the vaccine,
how to get it, how to store it and how to deliver it. It would be
nice if we could prep that work now, but since we don't know
what vaccine we're getting, we can't train anybody on it yet."
It's not just about how much vaccine we receive, but it's
about getting all the providers ready, she said.
"It is going to be different than the flu shot," she said. "It's
going to require special temperature controls, there are going
to be limited doses and special shifting mechanisms for this
vaccine. Some of these vaccines aren't even injected the same
way. It's about what the requirements for handling the vaccine
are and to try to get everyone trained into those requirements."
"It doesn't faze anybody for flu shots, that there are different
products and different manufacturers," Johnson said. "The
handling and administration of the products are pretty much
the same."

Seeking flu immunization
Because of the pandemic, have there been more individuals
seeking immunization in the greater Philadelphia region?
"It's too early to say anything about uptake," Johnson said.
"We do get flu immunization data, and I know that we've seen
that it gets reported to us electronically for providers and
pharmacies that are doing it. We know that flu shots are being
given out, but it's pretty early in the season. October is the
prime vaccination month."
Early on in the coronavirus pandemic, Johnson said, people
were getting COVID in health-care settings, particularly in
long-term care nursing homes, anyplace where sick people
gathered. The coronavirus was being spread before the healthcare community knew much about COVID-19.
"Our biggest barrier this year is the fear of contagion in
medical provider offices," Johnson said. "We know that medical
visits are way off because people aren't seeking care for routine
issues. They're fearful of acquiring COVID in a provider office
or any group setting.
"I think there is a little bit of nervousness, not about the flu
vaccine itself but about individuals being safe to receive it. The
CDC has a bunch of guidelines about how to safely provide flu
vaccines without putting people at risk."
Where is the Philadelphia Department of Public Health
positioned with CDC guidelines for the new coronavirus vaccine?

Maintenance-free, single-story homes within
a socially vibrant, amenity-rich community.

From $599's to $1.3 million+

"It's mostly the same COVID precautions: hygiene, physical
distance, masking, keeping people who are sick out of your office,"
Johnson said. "We have pushed out the CDC's information
that says this flu immunization year is a little bit different from
other years because we have to make sure that we provide for
the COVID precautions."
The providers, especially in private offices, can manage this
in appointment-driven systems.

Athertyn.com * 610.525.5110

"The biggest concern about a mass-vaccination event - where
you try to do 100 or several hundred in a very short period of
continued on page 16

14 Philadelphia Medicine : Fall 2020
https://philamedsoc.org/ http://www.Athertyn.com
Philadelphia Medicine Fall 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Philadelphia Medicine Fall 2020
