Pomerene Hospital has received its first direct allocation of 100 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. The first round of 100 vaccines will begin to be administered on Tuesday, January 5^th, to our frontline healthcare staff who face the greatest risk of exposure to the virus. This includes providers, nursing staff, respiratory therapists, emergency department personnel, laboratory technicians, phlebotomists, and other employees who are involved with direct patient care.

"I am very pleased for Pomerene's front line staff to be given access to the COVID-19 vaccine.” Stated Jason Justus, CEO of Pomerene Hospital. “Our entire team of care givers deserve the opportunity to receive the added safety and health protection the vaccine provides for themselves, their families, and our patients. I am optimistic the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine will be a turning point for our organization, our community, and for the state of Ohio."

Last week, on Monday, December 28^th, the Holmes County General Health District (HCGHD) administered the first Moderna COVID-19 vaccines in Holmes County. Following recommendations per Phase 1A of Ohio’s Vaccination Plan, the first vaccines in the county were given to Pomerene providers and caregivers, EMS first responders and public health employees expected to be directly involved with providing community vaccination in the upcoming months.

Fran Lauriha, CNO of Pomerene Hospital stated, “This is the first sign of hope that we have had in a very long fight against COVID-19. During the pandemic, our front-line staff have been absolutely amazing and have shown so much strength and determination in caring for our patients when there were so many unknowns.On December 28, I received my first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. After reviewing the data and the science behind the vaccines, I felt confident that the vaccine is safe and effective.Receiving the vaccine is an opportunity to knowwe are going to not only protect ourselves, but our patients, and our community.As a leader, I wouldn’t ask our employees to do anything that I wouldn’t do myself. While we are encouraged by the vaccine, we must remain vigilant in wearing a mask, and social distancing.”

Dr. Yasser Omran, Medical Director, is also very hopeful that with a vaccine, the pandemic will halt or become more manageable. “Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic almost a year ago, we have had limited success in controlling the spread of infection and treating the ill. The hope was to find an antiviral to treat the ill along with vaccines to protect the healthy. Now, we have a reasonable therapy for those who get infected. But most promising is the vaccine to protect the individual from illness and stop the spread. We have come a long way in a short period of time.”

Additional rounds of vaccines are expected to arrive over the next few weeks and will continue to be administered to critical groups, as classified under Phase 1A, including:

• All healthcare workers, physicians and personnel who are routinely involved with the care of COVID-19 patients
• EMS responders
• Nursing home and assisted living residents and staff
• Residents and staff at Ohio veteran homes
• Home health and hospice workers
• Dental providers
• Individuals with developmental disabilities, mental health disorders, substance use disorders, who live in group homes or other facilities and staff at those locations
• Patients and staff at psychiatric hospitals

Pomerene Hospital has been selected as a designated COVID-19 vaccine distribution site.Once the State of Ohio makes the vaccine available to the general public, we will provide more information on availability and access to the vaccine.



Additional information about Ohio’s Vaccination Plan and vaccines can be found at www.coronavirus.ohio.gov.