BOZEMAN — As we move closer to the end of the year, health care leaders say we're moving closer to being able to distribute the Covid-19 vaccine.
Community leaders in Gallatin County are preparing for the mass distribution process.
“It will be similar to like the voting process. So, they’ll be locations throughout the community, throughout the county I should say where if you live in a particular area, that would be the closest place for you to go,” explained Mike Maltaverne, the Community Incident Commander and Deputy Chief at the Bozeman Fire Department.
“What we’re looking at right now is securing facilities at places like the fairgrounds. We’re looking at fire stations that have drive-thru bays, possibly looking at churches throughout communities,” he said.
“This building is currently used by the firefighters to decontaminate everything they come in contact with on their everyday calls. But they’re getting ready to make the transition to use it for vaccines.”
“It’s a county-wide endeavor. All the paramedics, who have been trained, will then work with the health department and set up locations for the vaccine administration once the vaccine is delivered and is available,” explained Bruce Hennequin, fire marshal for the Central Valley Fire District.
Healthcare workers will likely get the vaccine first. But it brings up the million-dollar question, what about everyone else?
“We’ll be looking after the first of the year to start to receive vaccinations from the government to really put out in the community so probably looking at a 6-month timeline we hope to really be in the community and having points of distributions set up and hopefully getting those vaccinations out to those who want one,” Maltaverne said.
