Vaccine supply and demand inverse of last year
Butler Health System has administered an average of 94 COVID-19 vaccines and boosters per day of operation so far this month for a total of 1,503 doses given this year.
Matt Schnur, BHS director of pharmacy and vaccine coordinator for Butler and Clarion hospitals, said the average doses given per month has decreased over time as more people have gotten their shots.
Schnur said the availability of the booster sent demand up again, but that number also has fallen over time.
“The numbers were trailing off throughout the summer,” Schnur said. “Sept. 24 was the first day boosters were approved and able to be administered. We saw a pretty significant uptick then and at the beginning of October.”
The hospitals administered 7,310 doses in October, 4,321 in November and 4,726 in December.
Despite the falling demand, the hospital has not had to waste a significant number of vaccine doses, according to Schnur. He said BHS works with the state to coordinate how many doses are needed, and those that aren’t necessary can be doled out to other vaccine providers around the state where the need is greater.
Schnur said it has been a few weeks since the health system has had to request a vaccine shipment from the state, which come with almost 1,200 doses in a package.
Last January was the first full month the vaccine was available, and the health system administered 6,323 doses, for an average of 275 doses a day.
At that time, the state was distributing limited quantities of the vaccine to hospitals, and they were meant to be distributed to health care workers and vulnerable members of the population.
“Our supply was so incredibly limited last year; the demand was so high, but our supply was limited,” Schnur said. “Now it's the opposite; we have more than enough vaccine.”
Schnur also said the hospital has administered fewer doses of the booster than it did the initial first and second vaccine doses, which was somewhat expected.
“Probably not everyone eligible has followed through and gotten a booster,” Schnur said. “Another reason is people may have gone to their local pharmacy instead of coming back to the hospital.”
On Monday, BHS reported that it had 50 inpatients with positive COVID-19 cases, and six people were in the intensive care unit with severe COVID-19 symptoms. The hospital reported one death Jan. 20 and three deaths Jan. 21 related to COVID-19.
The vaccine clinic site at BHS’ Crossroads Campus is filling appointments, but Schnur said the site will not turn away walk-ins. Appointments can be scheduled at www.butlerhealthsystem.org.
“Our goal is to get as many people vaccinated and now boosted as possible,” Schnur said.
