More vaccinations coming to Champaign County

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In conjunction with Ohio’s statewide efforts to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to Ohioans in Phase 1B starting the week of January 19, the Champaign Health District and the Champaign County Emergency Management Agency are partnering to lead the vaccination efforts.

Vaccinations in Phase 1B are expected to begin the week of January 19. Gov. DeWine announced a tiered system for offering vaccinations to the estimated 2.2 million people who are eligible for the vaccine under this phase, beginning with those who are 80 or older:

• The week of Jan. 19: Ohioans 80 years of age and older.

• The week of Jan. 25: Ohioans 75 years of age and older; those with severe congenital or developmental disorders.

• The week of Feb. 1: Ohioans 70 years of age and older; employees of K-12 schools that wish to remain or return to in-person or hybrid models.

• The week of Feb. 8: Ohioans 65 years of age and older.

When a new age group begins, vaccinations may not be complete for the previous age group. It will take a number of weeks to distribute all of the vaccine given the limited doses available.

Vaccines are in short supply in Ohio and across the country. County allocations are expected to be in the hundreds, not thousands, as we begin vaccinating these Phase 1B populations in our area.

Each Tuesday, the federal government will inform Ohio of its statewide vaccine allocation, and providers will be notified of how many doses of vaccine they will be receiving the following week.

Vaccine information is available on a weekly basis, but week-to-week, that may change. Flexibility is key.

Earlier this week, it was learned that 3 providers in the county will receive approximately 400 doses of vaccine total, which will be used for Phase 1B populations next week. Residents are encouraged to visit www.champaignhd.com. This page will have an online registration form for vaccinations, as well as a downloadable form that can be filled out and dropped off. In addition, a statewide vaccine provider search is available beginning January 14 at www.coronavirus.ohio.gov/vaccine.

Kroger is one location in Champaign County that will receive vaccines. Kroger encourages their customers to visit kroger.com/ohiocovidvaccine or to call our COVID-19 vaccine helpline at 866-211-5320 for the latest information on vaccine availability. With vaccines arriving next week, their helpline will be active starting Saturday, January 16 and next week they will only be providing vaccines to the current phase/included populations, seniors 80+. All COVID-19 vaccines through Kroger will require an appointment via kroger.com/ohiocovidvaccine or 866-211-5320 once vaccines are available.

“While we know that many people in our community are eager to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, we must be patient while demand for the vaccine remains higher than the available supply,” states a joint news release from the county Health District and county EMA. “As vaccine supply increases, we will be able to vaccinate more of those in Phase 1B, and eventually, all Ohioans who choose to be vaccinated will be able to receive COVID-19 vaccines. We are prepared to help distribute safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines in our community.”

Champaign Health District, Mercy Health – Urbana Hospital, and Kroger Pharmacy are partnering to put on various vaccination clinics throughout the course of Phase 1B, using combined allocations to get the vaccine to more residents as quickly as possible.

Frequently asked questions

-Will vaccines be required? Vaccination is a personal decision and is not mandated. Ohioans should be aware that declining vaccination at your first opportunity may mean that you will not have another chance to receive the vaccine for some time because of limited vaccine availability.

-Why isn’t the state giving our county more vaccines? The state is allocating as much vaccine as possible for each county based on what Ohio receives from the federal allocation and based on Phase 1B population in the area. There are about 2.2 million people statewide in Phase 1B. We are glad there is such a demand from our area to get the vaccine; however, we ask that you be patient until a wider supply of vaccine is available.

-Once I get the vaccine, do I still need to wear a mask and distance? Can I spread COVID-19 to someone? You should continue to wear a mask and practice social distancing after being vaccinated. The vaccine will protect you from getting ill from COVID-19, however, not enough is known about whether or not you can still carry the virus and spread it to others. At this time, those who get the vaccine should continue to wear masks and practice social distancing.

-How long after the second dose of the vaccine will I be protected at the maximum efficacy? It takes time for your body to build protection after any vaccination. It takes one to two weeks after the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine to be protected.

-Where does law enforcement fit into the phases. When will our law enforcement get their vaccine? We are following state guidelines, and the state has not yet announced when law enforcement will be vaccinated. Development of the vaccine prioritization for future phases is underway, and the state will share details as vaccine supply grows.

-Where do essential workers fit into the phases, and when will they be able to get their vaccine? We are following state guidelines, and the state has not yet announced when essential workers will be included in vaccination plans. The state will share details on prioritization for future vaccination phases as vaccine supply grows.

Kim Baldwin, a housekeeper at Messiah Community apartments in Urbana, receives a vaccination to combat COVID-19 earlier this week as part of Phase 1A. Phase 1B of the vaccination process will begin soon.
https://www.urbanacitizen.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/36/2021/01/web1_20210112-Vaccine-0032-1.jpgKim Baldwin, a housekeeper at Messiah Community apartments in Urbana, receives a vaccination to combat COVID-19 earlier this week as part of Phase 1A. Phase 1B of the vaccination process will begin soon. Andrew Grimm | Andrew Grimm Photography
Phase 1B distribution to start next week

Submitted story

Submitted by the Champaign Health District and the county Emergency Management Agency.

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