Baptist Health Corbin one of 11 Ky. hospitals to receive initial COVID–19 vaccines slated for healthcare workers

Gov. Andy Beshear announced Thursday that Baptist Health Corbin will be one of 11 medical facilities across the state that will receive a portion of the initial Pfizer vaccine, slated to arrive in Kentucky as early as Dec. 15.

Beshear said previously that Kentucky is slated to receive approximately 38,000 doses of the vaccine in the coming weeks.

The first 26,000 will go to residents and staff in long term care facilities.

An additional 12,000 of the initial shipment will go to frontline healthcare workers.

During his daily briefing on Thursday, Beshear said Baptist Health Corbin will receive 975 doses.

It was chosen based on a number of factors, including location, the ability to receive the shipment, and having the ultra-low cold storage the vaccine requires.

In addition, Beshear said every effort was made to reach facilities across the state and counties with a high incidence rate.

Beshear said the first shipment of the expected 76,700 Maderna vaccine doses may begin arriving in by the end of the month.

Beshear said when the vaccine is made available to the public, he will take it, noting both have proven more than 90 percent effective in testing.

“If that holds, it turns COVID into something like a cold or minor flu,” Beshear said.