Montana DPHHS announces COVID-19 vaccination plan has been submitted to CDC - KULR-TV

- The Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) Director Sheila Hogan announced Monday that Montana has submitted its draft COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for review.

“I look forward to working with the CDC and key stakeholders throughout Montana as we move forward to both refine the plan, as needed, and then prepare to implement it once the vaccine becomes available.”.

Hogan said Phase 1 of the plan covers the first two months from when the state receives its first shipment of the vaccine and targets people at the highest risk of life-threatening infection and Montana’s critical infrastructure workforce.

The plan provides a framework for how critical populations are defined for the COVID-19 vaccine in accordance with federal guidance.

The plan details steps DPHHS will take to implement all phases of the plan by working with local public and private health providers in communities across the state.

"DPHHS is committed to collaborating with all key partners throughout the COVID-19 vaccination process," Hogan said.

Phase 2 of the plan will continue targeting the critical workforce, second dose vaccines will be provided as needed, and vaccine distribution will be expanded to other prioritized groups.

"The current plan is based on information known at this time, but there’s still many unknowns at this point, so this will be a work in progress,” Hogan said.

The plan also covers related topics such as vaccine storage and handling, administration documentation and reporting, vaccine training, communication, and safety monitoring.

An internal COVID-19 Vaccination Planning Advisory Group will be comprised of subject matter experts in communicable disease, immunization, and public health preparedness.

A broader COVID-19 Vaccination Plan Coordination Team will be comprised of stakeholders from various sectors across the state, many of whom are established key COVID-19 crisis response partners.

To view Montana’s COVID-19 vaccination plan, click here: https://dphhs.mt.gov/Portals/85/Documents/Coronavirus/MontanaCOVID-19VaccinationPlanInterimDRAFT.pdf !