Round One of Coronavirus Vaccines for UM Personnel Administered
It was a slightly smaller first allotment than hoped for, but more is on the way for University of Montana Phase 1A personnel.
According to UM News Services, the University of Montana began its first round of vaccinating employees who fall under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Phase 1A category for receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Staff in UM’s Curry Health Center administered more than 100 doses of the Moderna vaccine to University employees who are considered health care personnel or have close, regular contact with COVID-positive persons as essential workers. That is, staff who work directly with patients, those who are testing students and those in health science fields. Also vaccinated were a number of their police force who are often transporting positive students.
Teri Lynn Miller, a St. Ignatius paramedic, was one of the first people in the Mission Valley to receive a coronavirus vaccine. She joined more than 3,000 Montana health care workers who received the injection last week at 10 Montana hospitals.
“I kind of scooted out of the normal lane to get it,” she said in an interview last Friday. A friend who’s a dental hygienist sent her a link to register and Miller was able to get an injection of the recently approved Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine last Thursday at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
A day later, she reported that her arm was sore, she felt achy and had a mild headache. “I feel kind of crappy today, but not too bad.” She receives a booster Jan. 7.
U of Montana Named COVID-19 Vaccine Provider and Distributor
This undoubtedly speaks to its robust bioscience infrastructure, research facilities and statewide network of student and alumni pharmacists.
The University of Montana announced today (Friday) that they will provide and distribute the COVID-19 vaccine to Montanans. The State of Montana has named UM an approved vaccine holding and distributor center, allowing the university to serve as one of Montana’s most significant vaccine distributors.
University of Montana News Services tells us that Kenneth Chatriand, manager of the UM Pharmacy and coordinator of community advanced student pharmacy practice, said the approval to hold and later distribute the vaccine through UM is a testament to the University’s public health response, thanks to its health and medicine programs and resources for the state.