1-4-21

Oral healthcare providers are included in the top tier of Phase 1b for COVID-19 vaccination as healthcare workers along with the elderly. Hospitals have been asked to reach out to outpatient healthcare workers, both professional and support staff, if they are able to provide vaccination. Those associated with their systems as well as those in their communities. Do not wait. If you are contacted about a vaccine and want it, make the appointment!

A very limited amount of vaccine has been provided to pharmacies this week, also for persons 70+ and healthcare workers. The amounts of vaccine and number of vaccines will continue to increase. Again, the limiting factor right now remains the amount of vaccine. The list of pharmacies with the few allotted vaccines posted recently but the LDH page with the site has already crashed. For info when it does come back up, the link is: https://ldh.la.gov/covidvaccine-pharmacies/.

Since the LDA began collecting numbers on Dec. 22 of oral health professionals willing to take the vaccine, we have lists to work from and are working component by component to locate hospitals in each area to partner with until the State gets a larger supply of the vaccine later this month. We have been successful in several components. The hospitals are working out the details of scheduling and you will receive notification either from the LDA, your component or possibly directly from the hospital. Much of that organization will be done by component.

We understand your frustration as the media continues to report vaccines available to 70+ but the reality is that there are not a lot of vaccines to go around at this time.  Our Oral Health Professionals Vaccine Task Force has discovered that the quickest route to vaccination is partnering with hospitals. THEREFORE, IF YOU HAVE A CONNECTION TO ANYONE IN ADMINISTRATION IN ONE OF YOUR AREA HOSPITALS, PLEASE CALL THE LDA RIGHT AWAY OR RESPOND TO THIS EMAIL. Many of the connections we have made already are through dentists just like yourselves. We appreciate any connections you can help us make!