SCRANTON, Pa. — Doctors at the Wright Center for Public Health say they were the first provider in the state to apply for the ability to administer COVID-19 vaccines when they become available. On Tuesday, they explained how they will do that and showed us a new tool to use during the pandemic.
The Wright Center for Public Health will respond to the coronavirus pandemic on wheels. The health care provider unveiled a 40-foot van called "Driving Better Health," which will be used for mobile clinics all over northeastern Pennsylvania.
The van will first be used as a mobile COVID-19 testing facility but eventually can handle administering the COVID-19 vaccine.
Doctors say they'll be ready to handle Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine as early as next month.
"It has to be stored at -80 degrees Celsius, so it's going to be a challenge. The Wright center does have access to ultra-freezers and has secured ultra-freezers knowing that Pfizer was going to use that for a long time. So, mid-December for high-risk and frontline worker launch, and general public they're expecting around March," said Dr. Jignesh Sheth.
When not testing patients for the virus, the Driving Better Health van will host flu vaccination clinics.
The vehicle was paid for with federal funds given out during the pandemic.
The Wright Center hopes that as the vaccine is made available, the van will help put an end to COVID-19.
"I understand that there have been concerns with vaccines in the past, but the Wright Center physicians are very impressed with the level of meticulous oversight that's gone in into the production of the COVID vaccines, and we're really reassured, thinking it's going to come out, it's going to be extremely effective, and it's going to be safe," said Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak.
The Wright Center will be using the van to host a flu vaccine clinic this weekend. Then it will drive down to Hazleton, which doctors say has seen a spike in COVID-19 cases, to offer a mobile testing clinic.