DOVER, Del.- The race to eighteen thousand doses is on at Dover International Speedway with second doses heading into arms. According to health officials, the goal is to hit three thousand doses each day for six days.
Delaware Governor John Carney and members of his team stopped by to get a first-hand look at the operations. The state is prioritizing second doses after the Biden administration emphasized the importance of meeting the time between shots.
"We were advised to move all of our doses out and get as many first doses as you could," Carney said. "Don’t hold anything back for second doses. But then, the new administration comes in and they said you got to still follow up with the second doses. Well we didn’t have supply to do that."
While the priority remains to be second doses, Delaware Director of Public Health Dr. Karyl Rattay says there will be plenty of opportunities and places for people to get the first dose.
"There will be some vaccination events but now pharmacies are going to have a lot more vaccine and healthcare providers," Dr. Rattay said. "Other important smaller events like our Curative events and we are going to continue to try to make opportunities available for people on the waitlist."
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been a key resource for every state in the fight against the pandemic. Leaders like Region 3 Federal Coordinating Officer Tim Pheil are pleased to be of assistance this week in Delaware and the help is extended with people coming in from the West Coast and Puerto Rico.
"It’s excellent to be in a role within FEMA to have the ability to respond, to gather the federal resources, and assist the states in achieving their goals and objectives," Pheil said.
Five more days are ahead to make strides in providing second doses.
This FEMA vaccine event is by appointment only.