Published on January 18, 2021 14:30
Last updated on January 18, 2021 14:30
Written by Greg Sapp
Don’t mind … but the Effingham County Health Department is getting ready to start applying COVID-19 vaccines later this week.
We say, “Don’t call” because that’s not how you make an appointment to get vaccinated.
Karen Feldkamp, from the Department of Health, said she started taking some Phase 1B vaccines … the first respondents received the vaccines on Saturday. Teachers were vaccinated on Monday. Feldkamp said there was no school on Monday, which is why the teachers were vaccinated that day.
Later this week, vaccines will be given to Effingham county residents aged 75 and over. Next week, vaccinations will be given to people over 65. Feldkamp said the state’s initial plan was for those over 75 to get vaccinated first, but Governor Pritzker later changed the schedule for those over 65. She said that, as many county residents fit that demographic, the decision was to start at 75 or older, and then open to 65 or older next week. The other factor is that the county does not receive as much vaccine weekly.
The appointments will be made with whoever wants to be vaccinated. Feldkamp said this is because they don’t want people to show up randomly and wait, and then not get vaccinated.
The Health Department will post information about the consultations on its website and Facebook page. Again, don’t call the Department of Health. In addition, we will have vaccination information on our website and on the Facebook page as soon as the information is available.
Feldkamp said that as soon as the process begins, the Department of Health will run vaccination clinics weekly, as long as the vaccine is available. She said that some weeks will be only for those who take the first chance, some weeks will be only for those who receive the second chance. There is a waiting period of 28 days between the first and the second injection. The Health Department will administer the Modern vaccine.
Feldkamp points out that the COVID vaccination will not be charged, but it is necessary to take the insurance card to cover the administration fee. If you do not have insurance, you will not be refused.
Feldkamp also recalls that the Ministry of Health has no control over the amount of vaccine it receives.
Again, do not call the Health Department to make an appointment, as this is not how appointments will be scheduled, and they are not ready with the data for the online consultation. We’ll let you know over the radio and online when it’s time to make an appointment.
Here’s Greg’s interview with Karen Feldkamp of the Effingham County Department of Health about COVID-19 vaccinations, which is due to begin later this week …