Indiana has used less than half of the total vaccine doses it's received so far. But Department of Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Lindsay Weaver said many more appointments are scheduled through the end of January and no vaccine will be wasted.

Health experts stress the importance of remaining cautious of the virus as the state works toward achieving herd immunity.

Doses of the coronavirus vaccine had been delivered to 19 prisons, including the Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute, Indiana, by Wednesday, a Bureau of Prisons spokesman told The Associated Press.

Rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in Indiana remains focused on frontline health care workers and nursing home residents. That's even as some hospitals are reportedly vaccinating people much further down the priority list, like teachers.

Indiana's front-line health care workers began receiving the state's first shots of Pfizer's vaccine against COVID-19 earlier this month.

Medical professionals across the country are being vaccinated against COVID-19. For Dr. Gabriel Bosslet, a pulmonologist in Indianapolis, it was a day he'll never forget. He spoke with Side Effects Public Media's Carter Barrett, before getting the vaccine -- and just hours after the first dose.

Indiana health officials joined a webinar to discuss COVID-19 vaccination advances and efforts to equitably vaccinate Hoosiers.

About 40,000 Hoosiers will have received the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine by the end of Tuesday. But state officials say it will remain a "scarce resource" for a long time.

States began receiving the first doses of COVID-19 vaccines this week, and more doses will follow. Each state has its own distribution plan, so check with your health department for specific information. Meanwhile, here are answers to some of your general questions about the vaccines.

With some exceptions, Indiana employers can legally require workers to be vaccinated for COVID-19. But, that probably won't happen anytime soon due to several factors including a limited supply.