FAYETTEVILLE, WV (WOAY) – “We want everyone to be competent at our office to give the vaccine.”
Fayette County Health Officer Dr. Anita Stewart is pulling pediatric vaccines out of this refrigerator. The health department just got its first shipment of the vaccines and is taking all of the necessary steps to safely distribute them.
“There’s lots of different levels of competencies that we need to cover just to keep everyone safe,” Stewart said.
Stewart and COVID-19 Task Force Member James Bennett are watching this Webinar with crucial instructions for keeping kids safe as they get their shots. You can tell which ones are the pediatric vaccines by the orange tops on the viles, different than the vaccines for older kids and adults.
“Everybody has to be trained on the proper amounts and what needles to use,” Bennett said. “Kids are different.”
One of the differences in the handout for the pediatric vaccines is going to be the scale of the distribution. For adults, we saw large clinics and events. For kids, it’s going to be smaller. Some one-on-ones and appointments with pediatricians to manage the stress of the distribution.
“We’re trying to prepare and get everybody ready for when the kids come in, just to be able to keep them calm,” Bennett said.
Stewart knows some parents will be nervous about their kids getting the vaccine. She says the department is doing everything necessary to be prepared and keep the kids safe.
“We have tricks and tools dealing with pediatrics to help make that an easier process and keep kids calm,” Stewart said.
