COVID vaccine now being given to additional groups

    Additional groups of people have begun to receive the COVID-19 vaccination.
    The focus of vaccination has progressed to Phase 1B tiers 2 and 3, said Myra Stoney, health director for the SW Nebraska Public Health Department (SWNPHD).
    Those two tiers include funeral home employees, grocery workers, those in food processing, transportation, the US Postal Service and public transit workers.
    Additionally, healthcare workers, anyone 65 years and older, first responders, utility workers, corrections staff and educators will continue to be vaccinated as they sign up, she said.
    Stoney noted the health district received another 900 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine last week, which brings the total Moderna distribution to 6,400 doses for southwest Nebraska.  
    The number of names on the vaccine waiting list has dropped significantly, from nearly 6,000 in early January to a couple hundred as of the beginning of March, she said.
    SWNPHD, seven area pharmacies and six hospitals are now able to give the COVID vaccines.
    One of the hospitals is Chase County Community Hospital in Imperial. People interested in gettng the vaccine can call the hospital directly at 308-882-7217.
    “We will put them on the waiting list and when we are opened up to where they fit in the tiers, we will call them to schedule an appointment,” said Kay Schmidt, the hospital’s Infection Prevention Nurse/Quality Improvement Coordinator.
    People can also call the health district to be on a waiting list.
    Stoney said the waiting list signup for Phase 1A and 1B in southwest Nebraska is located at swhealth.ne.gov/featured/1 or via the state’s online registration system for the general public at vac cinate.ne.gov.   
    The health department has been contacted by many persons who were called back to be scheduled for vaccination but did not answer their phone, Stoney said.  
    “Messages for appointments are not being left at this time, due to time constraints,” she said.
    SWNPHD will now be reporting new case numbers every two weeks instead of weekly.

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