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Few Negative Reactions Reported As Maricopa County's First COVID-19 Vaccines Administered
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Maricopa County Department of Public Health
Marcy Flanagan
About 1,000 front line health care workers were the first in Maricopa County to receive COVID-19 vaccines on Thursday at two locations in partnership with Banner Health and HonorHealth. Another 1,000 will get vaccinated Friday before the county opens three new vaccination sites Monday, allowing for about 5,000 vaccinations per day.
"There were cheers and applause all around for each of the first vaccines yesterday. This is a little bit of hope: a start to the next stage, and we are one tiny step closer to life after COVID," said Marcy Flanagan, executive director of Maricopa County Department of Public Health, at a news conference Friday morning.
Just 11 of the 1,008 people vaccinated on Thursday experienced any negative reaction to the vaccine, she said.
"Most were anxiety-related," Flanagan said. "This can be any time individuals receive a vaccine. There's people that have fear of needles and all those sorts of things. So those play into it and and are also counted as reactions, so nothing that concerned us."
Flanagan noted a day or two of soreness at the injection site, fatigue or a low-grade fever could be expected after the vaccine.
The county is screening people to ensure only health care workers can currently make appointments to receive the shots. About 40,000 health care workers have already completed the online pre-screening form, available at county's the website, according to Maricopa County Communications Director Fields Moseley.
Flanagan estimated they can start vaccinating the general public later this spring or by early summer.
“Right now, vaccine doses are limited and only select groups are eligible. PODS (point of dispensing sites) are the most efficient way to get large numbers of health care workers and EMS personnel vaccinated quickly,” Flanagan said in a news release. “Eventually, we hope people will be able to get a COVID-19 vaccine much like they would the flu vaccine, at a doctor’s office or pharmacy.”
Other high-priority risks who will receive vaccines before the general public include: long-term care facility staff and residents, adults in congregate settings, law enforcement, teachers and childcare workers, essential services/critical industry workers, adults aged 65 years or older, and adults of any age with high-risk medical conditions.
