Temple Health to begin COVID-19 vaccine distribution Wednesday

Those working in close proximity to COVID-19 patients or in departments with high positivity rates will be given first priority.

Temple University Health System will begin to administer COVID-19 vaccines to approximately 3,000 healthcare workers on Dec. 16. | SYDNEY SCHAEFER / FILE

Temple University Health System will begin administering COVID-19 vaccines to health care workers on Wednesday as the first doses from pharmaceutical company Pfizer and biotechnology company BioNTech, which received emergency use authorization from the United States Food and Drug Administration last week, are distributed to Philadelphia-area hospitals.

The vaccine will first be given to approximately 3,000 employees in close contact with COVID-19 patients and those who work in departments with higher-than-average positivity rates, according to an information sheet sent to eligible TUHS employees on Thursday. 

It is unclear how many workers will be vaccinated each day. All available spots for vaccination on the first day at Temple University Hospital’s Main Campus have been filled, wrote Jeremy Walter, a spokesperson for TUHS, in an email to The Temple News.

A small number of Philadelphia hospitals will receive vaccine shipments this week before it is distributed to every hospital in the city, NBC10 reported. Pfizer’s vaccine has been shown to be 95 percent effective against COVID-19 beginning 28 days after the first dose, according to a release from the company.

Health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities will be among the first to receive COVID-19 vaccines nationwide, CNN reported.

While TUHS is not mandating its employees to be vaccinated, it is encouraging those who are eligible, even those who have recovered from COVID-19, to receive it, according to the information sheet. Employees are asked to schedule their vaccinations a day before a regularly scheduled day off due to the possibility of experiencing side effects from the vaccine.

12 Comments

  1. How I can register at TUHS to receive the vacsine ?
    Can I just go there and stay in line if you have any extra ?

    • May I register at Temple Ambler Campus for the Pfizer vaccine. I have a script. I am 75 with chronic lung. I live in 19477 Spring House. Sandra A Beck 267 222-0607

  2. How can I register for the vaccine at Temple Hospital? I am a current patient at the hospital and over age 65. I have chronic illness: Type2 diabetes, hypertension, and asthma. Please advise. Thank you.

  3. Will Covid vaccines be administered at Temple Hospital on Central Avenue in Northeast Philly. If yes, how can I register?

  4. I am a 72 year old Temple patient and want to know when I can get my vaccine? Thnk U!

  5. My wife and I received our first vaccine shots today at Jeans Hospital. Temple Hospital handled the shots here. The staff did a wonderful job. the process was very organized. the employees were very nice and informative. Thank you again. We go back for our 2nd shots in 3 weeks.

  6. Im trying to find an appointment for my dad who is 83 yrs old and is in treatment for prostate cancer. He is a patient at Temple Hospital always has been.

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