Yuma County releases new details about vaccine distribution

Thousands of doses of Moderna vaccines set to arrive next week

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - With coronavirus vaccines being distributed across the country, Yuma County will soon become the latest in line to receive the first wave of distribution. The county held a press conference Thursday afternoon, where officials outlined new details about the timeline of vaccination.

Diana Gomez, the director for the Yuma County Public Health District, said the county will be receiving 4,800 doses of the Moderna vaccine, which will arrive anywhere between Monday and Wednesday. The first to get vaccinated will be the frontline workers who work directly with COVID-19 patients.

The vaccines will be distributed to Yuma Regional Medical Center (YRMC), Sunset Health, and the Regional Center for Border Health. The county said it expects this initial wave of vaccinations to finish up by late January. By February, the next group of people to be vaccinated will be essential workers.

In preparation for widespread vaccinations, facilities across the county will be receiving auxiliary kits which come with gloves, needles and other equipment for the vaccine to be easily administered.

If all goes according to plan, the preliminary timeline for vaccinating the general public will likely begin in late March or April. The vaccine will be free to the public. The county said it plans to release more information on the vaccine on Monday, so the community can make an informed decision on whether or not they want to get inoculated.