UW Medicine plans COVID-19 vaccine rollout

As Pfizer seeks emergency authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine, UW Medicine is preparing to deploy its allocation of doses in phases based on guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The first phase includes healthcare workers, and specifically those in patient-care roles.

Dr. Shireesha Dhanireddy, director of Harborview Medical Center's Infectious Diseases Clinic, says appropriate freezers that can keep this MRNA vaccine viable at minus 70 degrees Celsius are in place at all UW Medicine hospital locations.  She adds that it’s "really important during this time to continue our social distancing recommendations and masking to continue to prevent the spread of infection while we work through our community to get people vaccinated."