Wayne Memorial COVID Vaccinations Underway

(Honesdale, December 31, 2020)…The second round of Wayne Memorial Hospital front-liners lined up to be vaccinated against COVID-19 on December 30, 2020. The Moderna shots, 10 to a vial, were given out last week and this week, and will continue next week, to healthcare personnel who meet the PA Department of Health (DOH) Phase 1A requirements, high-risk employees who have direct or indirect contact with patients who may be infectious and potentially COVID-positive with or without showing symptoms.

The 1A category at the hospital includes Emergency Department clinical providers and registration staff, respiratory therapists, lab and radiology technologists, Environmental Services, security and maintenance personnel. Many other departments also fall into the high-risk category—for example, maternity.

The hospital and Wayne Memorial Community Health Centers hope eventually to vaccinate all of their staff, most of whom have remained on duty during the entire pandemic.

Additionally, as per the DOH, both the hospital and Wayne Memorial Community Health Centers (WMCHC), its clinical affiliate, are preparing to offer a percentage of their vaccines to non-affiliated healthcare personnel who meet the Phase 1A requirements of the DOH’s Interim Vaccination Plan. That includes healthcare personnel working in Emergency Medical Services who are not affiliated with either Wayne Memorial entity.

“We are very pleased that we can begin to protect our highest-risk healthcare personnel,” said WMH CEO David Hoff, “as well as high-risk personnel outside of our hospital family. Eventually we hope there will be enough available to help protect everyone in our community. This is a first step.”

The Community Health Centers have already begun reaching out to non-affiliated healthcare workers, such as EMS workers, private dentists and ophthalmologists. Several clinics have been set up to offer them vaccines in the next two weeks. Healthcare professionals who have not been contacted are asked to email covidvaccine@wmh.org or leave a message at (570) 253-8197.

“It is our privilege to be able to offer these much-needed vaccines to as many people as we are able,” said WMCHC Executive Director Frederick Jackson, “and it is our hope that we will continue to be supplied with enough vaccine to have a true impact in our community.”

Cover Photo: Dr. Stanley Skonieczki, medical director of the Wayne Memorial Hospital Emergency Department is vaccinated by Kristy Tirney, RN, against COVID-19 at the hospital, Honesdale.