Atchison County and Holt County public health agencies and Community Hospital-Fairfax and clinics are preparing for the Phase 1B of COVID-19 vaccine distribution. At this time, both the local public health agencies and the hospital have not been notified when the vaccine may become locally available; however, the hospital and public health agencies are actively preparing for the process by which vaccines will be distributed.
National and state news outlets have recently been reporting that all individuals age 65 and older will be eligible in the next phase of immunizations. It is important to note that it may take many months before enough vaccines are received in Atchison and Holt counties to immunize all individuals 65 and older. As a result, local health departments and healthcare providers are working to identify individuals most vulnerable to adverse effects of COVID-19 for the initial doses in the community. Consideration is also being made for critical infrastructure personnel and at-risk patients under the age of 65.
Local public health agency and hospital personnel are engaging with the State of Missouri daily to keep abreast of all news related to the vaccine. Vaccine distribution is a week-by-week decision by state authorities and it is unclear when local supplies of vaccinations will be delivered to the area. It is also unclear how many and what type of vaccine will be delivered when supply becomes available.
Watch local newspapers and social media pages of the local public health departments and the hospital for vaccine news. Local healthcare providers are committed to transparent communication as soon as information is received about local vaccine supply.
Atchison County residents may express an interest in the vaccine by using the link published on the Atchison County Public Health Department’s Facebook page or type in https://forms.gle/Cy5mTcCogcFaiGVU8.
If you do not have access to a computer or have questions, call the Atchison County Health Center at 660-736-4121.
Holt County residents should email Krissy.Prussman@lpha.mo.gov.
“We would also like to remind you that after millions of vaccines that have been distributed, the risk of receiving the vaccine is much lower than the impact of the disease itself. When you are eligible for a vaccination, please consider doing so,” stated Aron Burke, M.D., Medical Director of both Atchison County and Holt County public health agencies and Chief Medical Officer at Community Hospital-Fairfax.
Other information about the State of Missouri’s vaccine efforts may be found at www.MOStopsCovid.com.
(Information for this article was submitted by: Aron Burke, M.D., Medical Director, Atchison and Holt County Public Health Agencies, Community Hospital-Fairfax; Julie Livengood, Atchison County Public Health; and Krissy Prussman, Holt County Public Health.)
