Indian Health Service plans for COVID vaccine distribution

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — The federal agency that provides health care to Native Americans says it’s expecting more than enough vaccines to protect all the people working in the hospitals and clinics that it funds. The Indian Health Service was treated much like a state for distribution purposes. It submitted a plan to vaccinate more than 2 million Native Americans and Alaska Natives.

The agency expects to receive 22,425 doses of the Pfizer vaccine next week and 46,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine by the end of the year. Those doses will cover the more than 44,000 people who work at hundreds of facilities that are receiving vaccine allocations through the Indian Health Service.