Fayette County will receive a larger supply of COVID-19 vaccines next week as efforts continue to vaccinate individuals who are eligible for Phase 1b of Ohio’s vaccination distribution plan.
A total of 600 doses earmarked as first dose vaccine will be distributed to three providers — Fayette County Public Health (FCPH), Fayette County Memorial Hospital, and Kroger — with half of the doses (300) allotted to FCPH.
Two providers — Walgreens and HealthSource of Ohio — will be providing second doses, only for the next week, to individuals who received their first dose at these locations.
Despite the increased allotment, vaccine supply still falls short of demand, and local residents who are eligible and choose to get the vaccine may have to wait a few weeks, although the wait is getting shorter.
“We are administering the vaccine to eligible individuals as quickly as it comes in,” said Missy Smith, public information officer for FCPH. “We have made contact with everyone on our first registration list and are now moving on to the list that opened on February 15th with expanded eligibility for Phase 1b.”
Each week, Ohio receives approximately 140,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to use on Ohioans in Phase 1B. With 2.2 million Ohioans in this group, the weekly impact gradually helps Ohio on the road back.
“The state has requested that all vaccination providers administer the first dose within 24 hours of receipt and all doses must be administered within seven days,” Smith said. “Our staff, Medical Reserve Corps volunteers, and community partners have been working tirelessly to make sure that this happens and to get vaccines to everyone who is eligible and who chooses to receive one. We have been planning and preparing and as soon as more vaccines are available, we are ready to get them out to the community.”
Individuals who are currently eligible for Phase 1b include:
– Ohioans, age 65 and up.
– Ohioans born with or who have early childhood conditions that are carried into adulthood which put them at a higher risk for adverse outcomes due to COVID-19.
*Sickle cell anemia.
*Down syndrome.
*Cystic fibrosis.
*Muscular dystrophy.
*Cerebral palsy.
*Spina bifida.
*People born with severe heart defects, requiring regular specialized medical care.
*People with severe type 1 diabetes, who have been hospitalized for this in the past year.
*Phenylketonuria (PKU), Tay-Sachs, and other rare, inherited metabolic disorders.
*Epilepsy with continuing seizures; hydrocephaly; microcephaly, and other severe neurological disorders.
*Turner syndrome, fragile X syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, and other severe genetic disorders.
*People with severe asthma, who have been hospitalized for this in the past year.
*Alpha and beta thalassemia
*Solid organ transplant candidates and recipients.
Vaccine recipients must be age 16 or older to be eligible for the Pfizer vaccine, and age 18 or older to be eligible for the Moderna vaccine.
Fayette County Public Vaccination Providers for the week of March 1:
Fayette County Public Health (FCPH) – Next week, FCPH is scheduling individuals 65 and up and Ohioans born with or who have early childhood conditions that are carried into adulthood which put them at a higher risk for adverse outcomes due to COVID-19. If you are pre-registered, FCPH staff will call you to make an appointment. If you are not pre-registered, visit faycohd.org to do so.
Fayette County Memorial Hospital (FCMH) – FCMH is now scheduling appointments for persons 65 years of age and older and Ohioans born with or who have early childhood conditions that are carried into adulthood which put them at a higher risk for adverse outcomes due to COVID-19. Please call 740-333-2743.
Kroger – Next week, Kroger pharmacies will be providing vaccines to the current phase/included populations, including adults 65 and older and Ohioans born with or who have early childhood conditions that are carried into adulthood which put them at a higher risk for adverse outcomes due to COVID-19. Visit kroger.com/ohiocovidvaccine or call the Kroger COVID-19 vaccine helpline at 866-211-5320 for the latest information on vaccine availability in your area.
Walgreens – Next week, Walgreens will be providing second doses to individuals who received their first dose at Walgreens.
HealthSource of Ohio – From now until March 18, HealthSource is giving second dose vaccines only. We are not currently scheduling patients or taking new requests. We will resume scheduling on March 15. Please return to our website www.healthsourceofohio or call (740) 335-8490 at that time.
Transportation – The Fayette County Transportation Program will transport anyone in Fayette County who needs to get their vaccine appointment, as long as they have a confirmed appointment scheduled. Anyone who needs transportation is asked to call 740-335-9628 to schedule as soon as they have an appointment time for the vaccine.
A statewide Vaccine Provider Locations search is available at vaccine.coronavirus.ohio.gov, allowing Ohioans to search by county and ZIP code to find a provider in their area to administer the vaccine.
For more information, visit faycohd.org.
