Clay County Public Health to Receive Additional Vaccine Doses for Medically Vulnerable, 65 and Older, and Tier 1 Population

posted on Wednesday, February 3, 2021 in COVID-19

Last week Clay County Public Health announced it was notified that 100 doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine would be available this first week of February. However, recently the allocation was updated resulting in a total of 300 doses being shipped to its Spencer office this week.

“This means we’ll be able to vaccinate more of our medically vulnerable seniors while also initiating vaccinations for school staff and childcare workers,” commented Colette Rossiter, Clay County Public Health. “We have been provided names of high-risk patients actively receiving therapy through services such as Abben Cancer Center and Warner Dialysis. With the additional doses, we’d like to reach out to more at-risk patients age 65 and older to get them vaccinated.”

Vaccination priority groups have been established by the State of Iowa as part of a vaccination shortage order.  Clay County Public Health is establishing vaccination clinics based on these directives. 

A by-appointment-only clinic will be held on Saturday, Feb. 6, for those who meet the aforementioned Phase 1B, Tier 1 eligibility requirements. Public health is working directly with first responders, schools and childcare centers to schedule appointments. To capture in-home childcare providers and county residents age 65 and older who have high-risk health conditions, a scheduling phone line will be open for a short time period Wednesday afternoon until the clinic is filled.

“This week we truly wish to focus on our Clay County seniors who are at high-risk for severe illness due to a medical condition,” Rossiter said. “We ask that if you are a healthy senior citizen, that you refrain from scheduling for this clinic to allow your friends and neighbors with compromising health conditions to register this week. Our hope is that next week our vaccine allocation will be ample enough to allow us to open to a broader group of senior citizens. However, state officials have cautioned us that it will take several weeks to immunize the over 65 age population, so we continue to ask for patience and understanding.”

The scheduling line will be open on Wednesday, Feb. 3 beginning at 3 PM and will close once all appointment slots are filled. The direct line is (712) 264-6514 and toll-free line is 1-800-848-0638. Again, only appointments for those eligible to be vaccinated in Phase 1B, Tier 1, with a focus on medically high-risk senior citizens will be taken. The phone system has several lines so several schedulers will be available to answer calls. Please do not call other healthcare offices or clinics as they cannot schedule your appointment.

As local health officials receive additional information regarding future vaccine allocations, updates will be available on Spencer Hospital’s website and Facebook page, and shared with local media.