Essentia, St. Luke’s Share Plans for COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

The nation continues to draw closer to the distribution of a vaccine to fight off COVID-19 and now local hospitals are preparing for how they will deliver it to Northlanders.

DULUTH, Minn. – The nation continues to draw closer to the distribution of a vaccine to fight off COVID-19 and now local hospitals are preparing for how they will deliver it to Northlanders.

Both Essentia Health and St. Luke’s are preparing to make sure the vaccine is distributed and stored both safely and effectively.

Essentia Health has been working closely with various state departments of health concerning the virus. Management says they are actively enrolled to participate and receive the vaccine in states like North Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

“We’ve been planning since the pandemic has happened,” said Roseann Hines, the senior operations manager for the Office of Medication Use Management for Essentia Health. “You know, really different levels of how do we mobilize our team members and when the vaccine what does that look like.”

Some vaccines require colder temperatures, specifically 100 degrees below zero, which is the temperature for dry ice. For Essentia Health, ultra-low cold freezers to store vaccines will be located at St. Mary’s Hospital in Superior along with its locations in Duluth, Brainerd, Detroit Lakes, and its Fargo location.

Along with Essentia, St. Luke’s, as a part of the Northeast Healthcare Preparedness Coalition, is currently working with the group to determine where it will be storing vaccines.

“This is the one thing that we’re seeing that has that high efficacy that could probably turn the tide of this pandemic,” said Hines.

Health professionals say that they don’t know how many doses are available as that hinges on FDA approval of the vaccine itself. Quantities of the vaccine will be distributed based on population size.

“Knowing that we’re on the brink of an amazing opportunity, hope is here to curb the stem of this pandemic,” said Gina Lemke, the director of pharmacy at St. Luke’s.

With distribution, health care workers that provide direct patient care along with long term care workers will be the first to receive the vaccine, which could be available as soon as the end of this month.

Legislators are also currently working to make the vaccine free to the public.