The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine continues to be administered in Greene County.

Public Health Director Becky Wolf says the vaccine has to be stored in freezing temperatures, and can then be thawed out right before using it. She notes that once the vial of vaccine is ready, there’s a short time frame in which to use it.

“Once we penetrate that vial with a needle, the first time, the clock starts ticking. We have six hours to administer ten doses in that vial.”

Wolf points out there are two doses of the Moderna vaccine that must be given 28 days apart. She talks about the differences between the two doses.

“A person gets some protection with that first dose, but it’s really stimulating that body to just kind of get the system primed. And then when you get that second dose, that’s where you see that very high efficiency rate or effectiveness rate, which is up in the 90 percentiles and higher.”     

Wolf adds, they have also had to do some creative thinking in order to schedule ten people at a time to receive the vaccine. She says there are about 200 doses left to give to healthcare workers and long term care residents and staff.