People working in healthcare settings, first responder agencies, essential workers, and vulnerable populations will be the first to receive the vaccine, he added in an email interview.
He said there are about 1,600 people working in healthcare settings and first responder agencies.
“We are currently in conversation with these agencies about assisting with the CNMI Covid-19 vaccine initiative,” he added.
According to the interim Covid-19 vaccination plan, “It is anticipated that the vaccine supply will be limited at the beginning of the Covid-19 vaccine distribution.
“Thus, the plan includes scenarios that describe a three-phase approach for vaccine distribution. Phase 1 of the plan will involve closed Points of Dispensing in which vaccination activities will be targeted to serve priority populations. Vaccine supply will increase in Phase 2, which will allow for clinic sites, including pharmacies, to administer to priority populations and allow for opportunities to open up for general public vaccination. In Phase 3, enough vaccines will be available to support routine distribution,” the interim plan stated.
The CNMI interim Covid-19 vaccination plan can be seen at
Additional information about Covid-19 in the CNMI can be found at
https://www.chcc.gov.mp/coronavirusinformation.php
https://governor.gov.mp/covid-19/
In Phase 1, Tenorio said CHCC will make the Covid-19 vaccine available to people working in healthcare settings as they are responsible for providing care and dealing directly with patients who may be at higher risk of exposure to Covid-19. “This effort will engage both private and public healthcare providers to ensure all healthcare workers in the CNMI are protected as they continue to provide care to the sick and ailing,” he said.
He added that CHCC will also engage first responders “on a tiered approach, giving priority to those directly involved in the CNMI’s continued preparedness and response efforts to combat Covid-19.”
Essential workers and vulnerable populations will also begin to be prioritized to receive the Covid-19 vaccine, Tenorio said.
In Phase 2, he said, the Covid-19 vaccine will continue to be offered to essential workers and people living with underlying health conditions, as CHCC will begin to make the vaccine available to the general population.
Tenorio said, as the CNMI’s lead health subject matter expert or SME, CHCC is leading the vaccine planning for the Commonwealth.
This effort, he added, includes representatives from the Governor’s Covid-19 Task Force.
“Our planning is coordinated with regional and national SMEs with several agencies and offices within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, including but not limited to the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, Assistant Secretary for Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,” Tenorio said.
“Our overall goal is to have the Covid-19 vaccine available to everyone living in the CNMI. We are hoping to have 95% of the CNMI population receive the Covid-19 vaccine in 2021,” he added.
