When can I get the COVID vaccine?

I work private duty homecare with clients that do not have COVID (as far as we know.)

I believe that makes me Phase 1A Priority Three.

I checked with my doctor and with one of my agencies. They said, "At this time we have no information on when we are getting the COVID vaccine or when we will be allowed to give it and to whom. If you want to check back after the first of the year we may have more information."

I'm hoping to be able to get it sometime in January . . . or February?

Does anybody know when those of us who are not frontline will be able to get the vaccine? As to which vaccine it will be, I'll take what is available.

[caliotter3]

I wonder the same thing.  I suppose should the employer make it mandatory I will find out soon enough.  As for now they don't seem to know anything.  By that time I will probably have been able to get it from another source.

[toomuchbaloney]

Check with your state public health.  They may have a better outline of distribution. 

[Kitiger, RN]

17 hours ago, toomuchbaloney said:

Check with your state public health.  They may have a better outline of distribution. 

I tried my county health department. They have started giving EMS workers the vaccine. They are not accepting requests for the vaccine or requests to be placed on a wait list. We are instructed to keep checking back for when they have more information.

[akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P]

As a private duty nurse, you'll have to check with your agency your local health department as to where you fit in the distribution scheme and when you'd be able to get your vaccination. I'm an ED nurse and I'm supposed to get mine sometime this week from my hospital. Our area is doing high risk employees and SNF residents first and then the mobile first responders. They're keeping a very close watch on how many get vaccinated in the first round so they have enough supply for the booster in 21-ish days (we're doing Pfizer). 

[Kitiger, RN]

47 minutes ago, akulahawkRN said:

As a private duty nurse, you'll have to check with your agency your local health department as to where you fit in the distribution scheme and when you'd be able to get your vaccination. I'm an ED nurse and I'm supposed to get mine sometime this week from my hospital. Our area is doing high risk employees and SNF residents first and then the mobile first responders. They're keeping a very close watch on how many get vaccinated in the first round so they have enough supply for the booster in 21-ish days (we're doing Pfizer). 

Been there, done that. I checked with my agency, my health department, and my physician.

I'll wait and see. I certainly don't want to cut in line; I just don't want to get missed in the shuffle.

[toomuchbaloney]

37 minutes ago, Kitiger said:

Been there, done that. I checked with my agency, my health department, and my physician.

I'll wait and see. I certainly don't want to cut in line; I just don't want to get missed in the shuffle.

Yep. You have to advocate for yourself. 

[TheMoonisMyLantern, ADN, LPN, RN]

My worry with the rollout of covid vaccines is that some nursing specialties that should have high priority may fall through the cracks. Private duty nurses are ones I think about, as well as dialysis nurses, hospice/home health nurses, correctional nurses. I just hope the powers that be in each state have thought about the entire spectrum of our health care system.

[juan de la cruz, MSN, RN, NP]

I would pressure the owners of these privately-run healthcare agencies to acquire vaccines for employees.  I know that's easier said than done but the owners have to prove to me that they made an effort to request vaccines from your state health department who ultimately decides on distribution plan.

[DowntheRiver]

On 12/22/2020 at 11:57 PM, TheMoonisMyLantern said:

My worry with the rollout of covid vaccines is that some nursing specialties that should have high priority may fall through the cracks. Private duty nurses are ones I think about, as well as dialysis nurses, hospice/home health nurses, correctional nurses. I just hope the powers that be in each state have thought about the entire spectrum of our health care system.

You can add Oncology nurses to that list, too. We've had patients and co-workers test positive in our infusion center and we've had very little PPE to protect ourselves. It doesn't help that I live in a state (FL) where so many don't "believe" in COVID/mask wearing/social distancing. 

100% believe that frontline ER/ICU/critical care/hospital employees should get the vaccine first. It irks me that Congress was vaccinated this soon. But don't forget about us nurses working in patient forward areas. I don't think my company is advocating for us enough to get the vaccine.