- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
Health care facilities across Indian Country received their first shipments of the recently approved Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine on Monday.
The Cass Lake Indian Health Service, one of three Indian Health Service facilities serving Minnesota's Bemidji area, became the first IHS facility to receive an initial distribution of the vaccine. Hospital staff received vaccinations upon its arrival.
The Cherokee Nation also celebrated receiving its first 975 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, with plans to distribute the vaccine this week.
The shipments of the vaccine are part of a first wave of doses that will be distributed to IHS facilities throughout December, but many people will have to wait to be vaccinated.
IHS expects to receive more than 64,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, which was approved last Friday by the Food and Drug Administration, by the end of the month. But as part of Phase 1A of IHS’s vaccine rollout plan, all initial doses will be reserved for health care workers and residents of long-term care centers.
The agency plans to distribute the vaccine to all of its 11 regional programs in the lower 48 states. The distribution of the vaccine to Alaska Native IHS facilities will be sent to the state of Alaska.
The vaccine developed by Pfizer, however, only represents about one-third of the initial purchase by IHS. The agency’s distribution plan calls for two-thirds of its vaccination plan to come from Moderna, which has yet to have its vaccine approved by the FDA.
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsNative News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Whtie House Tribal Nations Summit Set for Dec. 9
Brennan Center for Justice Study Shows Native Americans Vote at Lower Rates Than Non-Natives
'More Than Just Food' | Tocabe Indigenous Marketplace Offers Native Ingredients, Meal Kits for Every Table
Support Independent Indigenous Journalism That Holds Power to Account
With the election now decided, Native News Online is recommitting to our core mission: rigorous oversight of federal Indian policy and its impact on tribal communities.
The previous Trump administration’s record on Indian Country — from the reduction of sacred sites to aggressive energy development on tribal lands — demands heightened vigilance as we enter this new term. Our Indigenous-centered newsroom will provide unflinching coverage of policies affecting tribal sovereignty, sacred site protection, MMIR issues, water rights, Indian health, and economic sovereignty.
This critical watchdog journalism requires resources. Your support, in any amount, helps maintain our independent, Native-serving news coverage. Every contribution helps keep our news free for all of our relatives. Please donate today to ensure Native News Online can thrive and deliver impactful, independent journalism.
