LEWES, Del. - Beebe Healthcare has been hosting virtual town halls throughout the pandemic to keep the community up to date with the latest information on COVID-19. Monday’s town hall discussed a critical update in the fight against the virus: a vaccine.
Thanksgiving week is what Beebe Healthcare is calling a pivotal time in the third wave of the pandemic.
"In the state of Delaware we are seeing an increase rate of hospitalizations. We have not seen these type of numbers since really early June, end of May,” said Dr. Bill Chasanov, Beebe’s COVID-19 response medical director and infectious disease physician.
Dr. David Tam, Beebe’s President and CEO, says the hospital is doing fine with capacity at this point in time.
According to NBC News, Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine has entered the FDA approval process.
"If Bill Chasanov says to take it. I will be one of the first ones to take that COVID-19 vaccine to protect myself, protect my family, and protect my coworkers and my community,” said Dr. Tam.
Beebe and the state are working on a vaccine plan so Delawareans can get vaccinated in a timely manner, but are unsure of how many doses they will receive.
"If the vaccine meets all the phases, stages, reviews, and clinical trials all say this is a safe vaccine, I am absolutely going to get that vaccine when it is available to me,” said Dr. Chasanov.
According to the information Beebe has now, you will not have to quarantine after receiving the vaccine and if you have had the virus, you will not be eligible to get the vaccine.
"How long after taking the vaccine are you immune? Normally we say about 7 to 14 days and I'm pulling that information with the flu,” said Dr. Chasanov.
Dr. Chasanov says recommendations on immunity will come from the FDA and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).
"We just need to get through these next couple of weeks by washing our hands, watching our distance, wearing a mask, and getting vaccinated so we can get over the hump to the point where there is life over this period of darkness we have had,” said Dr. Tam.
To learn more about Delaware's vaccine plan please click here.