Rural Arizona hospital frustrated by smaller vaccine allotment

rural Arizona vaccine

ALLOTMENT FROM THE STATE -- ISA LOT SMALLER THAN THEYEXPECTED... ONLY GIVING THEMONE HUNDRED -- FIRST TIMEDOSES.

NINE ON YOUR SIDE'SCIARA ENCINAS TELLS US -- WHYTHE BORDER COUNTY FEELS LIKETHEY ARE GETTING THE SHORT ENDOF THE STICK.CIARA ON CAM INTRO: "LEADERSAT COPPER QUEEN COMMUNITYHOSPITAL IN BISBEE SAY THEYARE GOING FROM VACCINATINGHUNDREDS A DAY TO JUST GIVINGSECOND DOSES---AT THIS POINTTHEY SAY THEY WON'T BE ABLE TOVACCINE TEACHERS AND THOSE 75AND OLDER IN A TIMELY MANNER."FRUSTRATION IN BUILDING ATTHIS RURAL ARIZONA HOSPITAL ASVACCINE AVAILABILITY ISDIMINISHING WITH THE ENTIRECOUNTY MADE UP OF SEVERALVACCINE LOCATIONSONLYRECEIVING ELEVEN HUNDRED DOSESOF THE VACCINE.

AND (ONLY( ONEHUNDRED OUT OF THOSE ARE FIRSTTIME DOSES AND NONE OF THE100 GOING TO THE HOSPITAL."IT'S SUCH A SHAME THAT WEWERE READY TO GO.

WE'VE GOTPATIENTS CALLING OUR CLINICS,ALL FOUR OF THEM COMBINED OVER700 CALLS A DAY.

MOST OF THOSECALLS WERE PATIENTS LOOKINGFOR WAYS TO ACCESS THEVACCINE." THE STATE HEALTHDEPARTMENT TELLS KGUN 9 ---RURAL AREAS LIKE COCHISECOUNTY GIVEN THE MODERNAVACCINE--- AND THIS WEEK THEFEDERAL GOVERNMENT SENTARIZONA FEWER DOSES THANUSUAL.

BUT THE HOSPITAL SAYSIT FEELS COCHISE COUNTY ISFETTING THE SHORT END OF THESTICK.

"THE PROBLEM IS,VACCINES ARE GOING TO LARGERCOUNTIES SUCH AS MARICOPACOUNTY, WHO RUN THEIR VACCINESCAUSE 24/7." AND THAT'S ASTING TO THE HOSPITAL WHO SAYSCOCHISE COUNTY ISOUTPERFORMING MARICOPA COUNTYON GETTING VACCINES INTO ARMS."WE ARE 21% HIGHER THANMARICOPA COUNTY, WHICH IS THEMAJORITY OF THE POPULATION."THE COUNTY HAS HELD SEVERALVACCINE EVENTS EVENVACCINATING HUNDREDS AT TIME.AND THE HOSPITAL SAYS DRIVINGTO ONE OF THE STATE RUNVACCINE PODS ISN'T REALISTIC."MOST PEOPLE DO NOT HAVERELIABLE TRANSPORTATION ANDWHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH THEELDERLY WHO HAVE PROBLEMS WITHTHE MOBILITY THEY CAN'T BESITTING FOR LONG PERIODS OFTIME.

SO THAT FIVE-HOUR TRIPTO GLENDALE CAN BE EXTENDED UPTO AN EIGHT-HOUR NINE- HOURTRIP." AND THIS COMES JUST ASTHE HOSPITAL SAYS IT WASEMAILED (THIS NEW SURVEY --ASKING THEM TO ACCOUNT FOR ALLDOSES OF THE VACCINE OR ITWILL HAVE TO RETURN DOSES TOTHE STATE.

"WHEN WE GET THEVACCINES, WE GIVE THE VACCINE.THE ONLY TIME THAT WE HAVE THESTOCKPILE IS WHEN THEY GETDELIVERED.

AND THEN WITHIN ADAY OR SO THEY AREADMINISTERED.

AND IN THE EMAILAND I FORGET EVEN A FEW THATCAME FROM IT SAID WELL WE ALSOCONSIDER YOUR FUTUREALLOCATIONS" CIARA ON CAM TAG:WE DID REACH OUT TO THESTATE--- WHO SAYS THEGOVERNOR'S RECENT EXECUTIVEORDER REQUIRES VACCINEPROVIDERS ---LIKE COPPERQUEEN---TO ACCOUNT FOR THEDOSES THEY'VE GIVEN AND HAVENOT YET GIVEN TO THE COMMUNITYFROM THERE THE STATE WILLDECIDE IF THERE IS A SURPLUSOF VACCINES NOT GIVE AND WILLREALLOCATE THOSE DOSES TOOTHER PLACES AROUND THE STATE.CIARA ENCINAS, KGUN 9 ON YOURSIDE.AND HERE'S A LOOK AT THE