Mass vaccine clinic set Wednesday, Feb. 3

Posted on January 29, 2021

Another 200 Taylor County senior citizens received their first round of COVID-19 vaccinations here on Wednesday and 500 more in the 65-plus age group are slated to receive their second round of vaccines during a mass clinic planned next week (Wednesday, Feb. 3) at Forest Capital Hall.

“This group will be those who received the first round of vaccines in early January. We are calling people as fast as we can to make their appointments,” Taylor County Department of Health (DOH) Operations Manager Martine Young said.

“Those who received the first round of vaccines at our Jan. 13 clinic already have their appointments to receive their second dose at a clinic planned Wednesday, Feb. 10,” she said.

The 700 doses of Moderna vaccine represent the total number of doses allocated to the local DOH this week by the state.

“They tell us how to distribute the doses – 200 were designated to be given as ‘first round’ doses, and 500 were earmarked for ‘second round’ doses. The medication is the same for both shots,” Young said.

“We are working to make sure that the second doses are given as close as possible within the recommended 28-day period. However, we have up to 42 days after someone receives the initial dose to receive the second,” she explained.

“The good news is that we have also been told that we will be receiving the 500 doses we need for the second dose clinic planned on Feb. 10,” she added.

DOH is also working with the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Management department to secure additional funding to meet its most pressing needs.

“We did receive an allocation of $35,000 during the first CARES funding round, but due to some miscommunication, we never actually received the money. We had requested it, were told we could get it, and then never got it. When we asked, they said we were supposed to send in a second request for it. But, we have that all straightened out and will be using those funds to help hire a nurse that will be dual-COVID – helping with testing and vaccinations,” Young said.

“We had received some funding from the state to hire contact tracers and help for testing, but then they took back a large portion of that funding. We are still working through our people to offset that,” Young stated.

“Our top need at this time is a phone system that can handle the amount of calls we are receiving daily. We just don’t have the people to answer them. We are getting 20 calls an hour just related to vaccines. This doesn’t count the calls from people who need to be tested (COVID) or who have tested positive, or those just wanting information regarding the normal business the health department handles, like septic tank permits, etc.,” Young said.

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