FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – COVID-19 vaccines are rolling out and state health leaders are having to work with old numbers while trying to give out the vaccines efficiently.
For those giving the vaccines, like pharmacies and hospitals, there is a 72-hour period to report the number of doses received and administered. So, Dr. Jennifer Dillaha with the Arkansas Department of Health said it is hard to pinpoint the exact number.
Dr. Dillaha said the ADH is constantly waiting on reports. Not only is this a challenge for the Department of Health right now, it is also hard to determine the next steps for the vaccine and who should get it next. As a result, the ADH is making the most of those 72 hours by holding hospitals and pharmacies accountable for on-time reporting.
“We’re working on quality review and putting a process into that so we can identify any facility that has not yet entered their doses beyond the 72 hours,” Dr. Dillaha said.
As of right now, Arkansas is still in phase 1A in vaccine distribution. Governor Hutchinson said he is hopeful we will be able to move on to phase 1B by the end of January.
