Rhode Island Vaccination Effort: Who's Getting It Now

CRANSTON, RI — In a coronavirus update on Friday, Rhode Island health officials said the state continues to vaccinate the populations at highest risk of transmission and has administered 31,541 doses of the vaccine.

Out of the 31,541 vaccine doses administered, 29,743 people have received the first dose and 1,798 are fully vaccinated with two doses.

"The systems we have in place in Rhode Island are working," said Dr. Philip Chan during Friday's update.

The state is currently in the top three tiers of Phase 1 of its COVID-19 vaccination program, which includes hospital staff, healthcare workers, EMS workers, home health and hospice workers, nursing home staff and residents, high-risk incarcerated persons, first responders, school nurses, and hard-hit communities.

The next residents in line to be vaccinated include outpatient healthcare providers and death care professionals, projected to begin Jan. 25, and adults over 75 years of age, expected to start next month.

Rhode Island currently has the resources to vaccinate approximately 1.5% of the population each week, said Dr. Chan. He asked residents to remain patient with vaccinations, which will "rollout over the course of months."

"Everyone understands how eager everyone is to get vaccinated as soon as possible," said Dr. Chan.