FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WFFT) -- Hundreds of people across Northeast Indiana are testing positive for COVID-19 every day, at a rate far higher than in the summer.

Dr. Vishal Bhatia with the Lutheran Health Network says the goal so far has been to limit the spread and flatten the curve, but more needs to be done for COVID-19 to stop spreading throughout the community.

"For COVID-19 to go away, we have to flatten it enough that the transmissibility decreases at a rate that will not let the virus thrive," Bhatia said. "For that, you need to have appropriate vaccination."

Several vaccines by pharmaceutical companies are in the work, showing up to 90% success in trials so far in some cases

Allen County Health Commissioner Dr. Matthew Sutter says he has a cautious optimism about the vaccine's success.

Sutter explained, "I think we need to see the phase three data. While I’m hopeful about that, we just don’t know until we see the data."

However, Sutter says they’re already making plans for when the vaccine is available.

"We’ve been in talks with the state. There are plans to move vaccines in, probably before there’s actually an emergency use authorization," Sutter explained.

If you're someone who doesn't take care of COVID-19 patients, you'll have to potentially wait for several months to get the vaccine, as Bhatia explains the vaccination plan will start with keeping hospitals open first.

"The initial stockpile would be to vaccinate the people who are directly taking care of COVID patients and then it would go in phases. So, even if we have availability to mass vaccinate the population, I would think that would take two to three months to be able to be at that stage," Bhatia said.

There's no word yet when the vaccines will be arriving at local hospitals.