Champaign County residents not registered in the CodeRED emergency notification system are being encouraged to sign up so they can be alerted about upcoming COVID-19 vaccinations.
The Champaign Health District is working with the Ohio Department of Health, the county Emergency Management Agency and other groups to develop a strategy for vaccine distribution. The Health District plans to use the CodeRED notification system to keep people informed.
The limited supply of vaccines during Phase 1 of the distribution procedure will go to the following groups, according to the Ohio Department of Health:
-Health care workers and personnel caring for COVID-19 patients
-Residents and staff of nursing homes, assisted living facilities, state psychiatric hospitals and state veterans homes
-Residents and staff of facilities caring for people with intellectual disabilities and/or with mental illness
-EMS responders
It is not known when the general public will be able to receive vaccines, but local officials want people to sign up with the CodeRED system as soon as possible so all will be ready.
Those not already signed up can register at https://public.coderedweb.com/CNE/en-US/78411EC18D85. If unable to complete an online registration, email the county EMA at [email protected] with the following info:
-Address
-Contact name
-Phone numbers and carriers.
Residents also can call the county EMA at 937-484-1642 and leave this information, but voicemail requests for registration may be delayed because EMA personnel will be deployed to field operations during the vaccine effort.
Local and state authorities stressed that vaccinations will be administered only to people who want them, that no one will be forced to get vaccinated.
