On Monday, Idaho began publishing a vaccine administration transparency data dashboard thanks to Gov. Brad Little’s Executive Order. The new tool shows the number of COVID-19 vaccine doses that individual providers and local public health districts have been distributed and the number of doses that remain for them to administer.

There are two “data dashboards” now – you can find the buttons to both of them on the home page of the coronavirus website. The button that provides enrolled provider vaccine administration data is called Vaccine Administration Transparency Data. The button that outlines data related to Idahoans getting the vaccine is called the COVID-19 Vaccine Data Dashboard.

Some details to keep in mind as you look at the new dashboard:

• “Distributed doses” include first and second doses. Some doses that appear to have not been administered yet may be scheduled for an appointment or may not be reported in the state’s immunization system yet because providers have 72 hours to report after a dose has been given.
• The number of doses that remain to be administered could include a share of second doses that arrived early and cannot be administered yet because the second dose must be given at least 21 days for Pfizer and 28 days for Moderna after the first use.

Many of the questions we receive from the public are related to when and where they can get a COVID-19 vaccination. Because of the limited supply of the vaccine at this time, some people have not been able to get an appointment right away. I want to reassure everyone that anyone who wants to get the COVID-19 vaccination will be able to do so. We are committed to this, but it will take time because of the limited supply we are receiving here in Idaho.

Supply and demand

On Monday, Feb. 1, Idahoans 65 and older became eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccination, and it quickly became obvious that the demand is far greater than the supply. To put it in perspective, there are roughly 265,000 people in Idaho who are 65 and older, and Idaho is receiving about 25,000 doses a week. It will take several months to get through this group, so we are asking for patience. Everyone who chooses to get the vaccine will be able to do so, but the appointments will be spread out during the coming months.

You can find more information on when and where to get vaccinated on a new page on the DHW website. This page outlines who can get vaccinated (by age and job classification), where to go to find a provider and schedule an appointment (when there are appointments available), and what to expect at your appointment.

Gov. Brad Little announced on Tuesday that new COVID-19 Vaccine Capacity, Safety, and Reporting Grants are available and can be used by enrolled vaccine provider organizations to increase staffing to administer shots, purchase needed equipment and supplies, and improve vaccine access for hard-to-reach and vulnerable populations. The amount each enrolled healthcare vaccine provider will receive is based on the number of doses they administer.

The mass vaccination of millions of people throughout the United States is unprecedented. It takes coordination of massive and disparate systems that starts with the manufacturing of the vaccine and ends with a shot in the arm. In addition, the ability of clinics, hospitals, pharmacies, and employers to ramp up to meet the demand takes the financial and logistical support of the federal and state government. In Idaho, we want to help our enrolled provider organizations hire medical staff, stand up clinics, and then schedule first and second doses for hundreds of thousands of Idahoans.

The COVID-19 vaccine is on the minds of Idahoans, and we appreciate your questions and your feedback.

I want to let the people of Idaho know that we hear you. We read your emails and your social media messages, and we take all of your phone calls to heart. We are grateful that so many of you have chosen to take the vaccine, and that you are ready to do so. Your commitment to participating in this exciting part of the pandemic response does not go unnoticed.

We are committed to doing everything we can to get the vaccines administered as quickly and safely as possible. There was a 67 percent increase in the number of doses administered the week of Jan. 4, and we expect the number of doses administered each week to continue to increase. We are committed to getting all the vaccine that Idaho is allocated shipped to Idaho as soon they become available. The vaccines are sent directly from the manufacturer to those who can administer them. We are committed to doing all we can to support providers so they can do their job of administering the vaccine. And we are committed to communicating with you as openly and as often as possible. These are our promises to you and the vaccine providers in Idaho.

I want to thank Gov. Brad Little for his budget proposal that includes $250 million to finish the fight against COVID-19. We are grateful for his leadership and commitment.