Update: This story has been changed to reflect a press release sent on Aug. 11 from the North Dakota Joint Information Center that this pilot project is not a vaccine trial, correcting their original press release sent on Aug. 10.
North Dakota has been selected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to be part of a pilot project plan for a COVID-19 vaccination program, according to the North Dakota Department of Health.
This is not a vaccine trial but is a project to develop and implement plans and methods for getting medications to people as effectively and efficiently as possible in case of a pandemic, according to the NDDoH.
The department says when a vaccine is available, the federal government will determine how to prioritize and distribute the vaccine.
“North Dakota was selected because of the strength of our immunization program,” said NDDoH Immunization Program Manager Molly Howell. “Our teams have been working for weeks on a plan and we’re thrilled to supplement that work with this partnership with the CDC and the Department of Defense to plan and prepare for the COVID-19 vaccination response in North Dakota.”
The other states participating are Florida and California, and the city of Philadelphia, Gov. Doug Burgum said in his Monday press briefing.
