Any Ohioan age 16 and older who wishes to receive a COVID-19 vaccine is eligible to do so as of Monday, March 29. Fayette County will receive over 1,100 first doses.
There are currently five vaccination providers in the county, but that number is expected to increase as more vaccines become available. Eligible individuals can receive a vaccine from any provider of their choice.
The vaccine is offered at no cost at all locations. Vaccine providers can bill a patient’s insurance for a fee to administer the vaccine, but will not be able to charge the patient. Providers can seek reimbursement for uninsured patients from a provider relief fund.
Looking for a vaccine? Here are some tips and important information:
– Parental or legal guardian consent is required for 16- and 17-year-old individuals.
– Pfizer is the only vaccine authorized for 16- and 17-year-olds.
– Adults who are 18 or older can receive any of the three approved vaccines, Moderna, Pfizer, or Johnson & Johnson
– The first and second dose must be scheduled at the same location.
Some vaccine-seekers are registering or making appointments with multiple locations in order to get the vaccine as quickly as possible, according to Fayette County Public Health (FCPH). As a result, no-shows are becoming more common.
“We had over 40 no-shows at this week’s clinic, out of 550 scheduled,” said Leigh Cannon, FCPH deputy health commissioner. “We put out an announcement on social media and were able to get people in that way, but there are many who want and need the vaccine who need more than a last-minute notice.”
“We do understand and appreciate that people are ready to get the vaccine,” said Cannon. “We are ready and excited to get everyone vaccinated. Please help us out and help your fellow community members by canceling extra appointments that you make so vaccination providers can open that spot for someone else in need.”
Cannon acknowledged that the increase in no-shows is also due to the increase in out-of-county residents who schedule in Fayette County and then find the vaccine sooner or closer to home.
“We are also getting a lot of interest in the Johnson & Johnson vaccine,” said Cannon. “Ohio has been allocated a limited number of Johnson & Johnson vaccines for the week of March 29. We are not currently aware of any local providers that will receive this vaccine. We will continue to update our website and social media as more updates are available.”
Fayette County Public Vaccination Providers for the week of March 29
Fayette County Public Health (FCPH) – Next week, FCPH will host a first dose clinic on Wednesday, March 31 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. for 18+. The Moderna vaccine will be offered at this clinic. Visit faycohd.org or call 740-335-5910 to make an appointment.
Fayette County Memorial Hospital (FCMH) – FCMH is now scheduling appointments for eligible individuals. FCMH will offer appointment-only clinics on March 31 and April 1 for the Pfizer vaccine for anyone over the age of 16 who wishes to get a COVID-19 vaccine. In the event the supply of Pfizer is depleted, Moderna vaccines will be available. Please call 740-333-2743 to schedule.
Kroger – Visit kroger.com/ohiocovidvaccine or call the Kroger COVID-19 vaccine helpline at 866-211-5320 for the latest information on vaccine eligibility and availability in your area and to schedule an appointment.
HealthSource of Ohio – HealthSource will offer the Moderna vaccine next week and will accept new vaccine requests according to State of Ohio guidelines (individuals age 18 and older). Please visit their website www.healthsourceofohio or call (740) 335-8490 to request an appointment.
Walgreens – Walgreens is vaccinating eligible individuals. For an appointment, it is recommended to schedule online at walgreens.com/schedulevaccine. You may also call 740-335-3180.
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.
Regional mass vaccination sites to open – A series of mass vaccination and mobile clinics across the state will begin to offer vaccinations next week. The goal of these vaccination sites is to ensure all Ohioans have access to COVID-19 vaccine as it becomes more widely available. Governor Mike DeWine has announced that Wilmington Air Park is slated to receive 5,000 vaccines a week, tentatively starting March 31. For more information, visit the COVID-19 mass vaccination clinics page at coronavirus.ohio.gov.
Variant detected – The Ohio Department of Health has reported that one case of the B.1.1.7. variant has been identified in Fayette County. This variant has been detected in over 30 Ohio counties. This variant spreads more easily and quickly than other variants. So far, studies suggest that antibodies generated through vaccination with currently authorized vaccines recognize these variants. This is being closely investigated and more studies are underway.
“We are not out of the woods yet so please keep doing what you have been doing,” said Cannon. “Get vaccinated, social distance, wear a mask, wash your hands, and stay home if you are sick. All of these tools are essential to limit the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 and protect public health.”
Change in death reporting – Due to a recent change in the way that the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) is reconciling and reporting deaths, FCPH will now report deaths on the COVID-19 dashboard only, in the same manner as other data (such as hospitalizations).
Earlier this month, ODH began using death certificate data from the Electronic Death Registration System (EDRS) as the sole source of information for deaths reported on the state’s COVID-19 dashboards.
This system is populated from death certificates which have been verified by the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
Updated death certificate data is typically sent to ODH twice per week, and may lag – often 1-2 months, but up to 6 months.
“Our staff has reported local data as close to real-time as possible but death reporting has lagged more recently due to situations in which we were not aware of the death,” according to a statement released by FCPH. “An example of this would be when a county resident dies out of county and a burial permit is not requested in this county, we are not made aware of the death.”
This new system will allow reporting to be consistent and unified with state reporting of verified death certificates, per FCPH.
“As we continue to move through each new phase of this pandemic, we truly appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate these changes together,” according to the FCPH statement.
Fayette County is orange – Fayette County remains orange / level 2 on the Ohio Public Health Advisory System (OPHAS). Over the past two weeks, 21 new cases have been reported, or the equivalent of 73.62 per 100,000 people.
Stay up-to-date on vaccine availability in Fayette County, visit faycohd.org or https://gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov/.
