JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Central Valley Health District (CVHD) reports that they have provided 936 COVID vaccinations since the vaccine first arrived on December 22, 2020.
Robin Iszler, Unit Administrator, reports the CVHD team have been working very hard to provide the vaccinations out to the community as soon as it arrives. “We schedule clinics and begin calling people as soon as we have vaccine in the door of our facility,” reports Iszler.
CVHD began administering the second doses of the Moderna vaccine to priority group Phase 1A this past week, which includes frontline healthcare workers, first responders, and long-term care residents and staff. “Those who received vaccine the week of December 22 were due for the second dose this week,” says Iszler.
Moderna vaccine requires a second dose, due 28 days after the first dose. Next week CVHD anticipates the arrival of the Pfizer vaccine for second doses for those vaccinated in Phase 1A. Pfizer vaccine second does are due 21 days following the first dose.
Iszler says they are expecting to be very busy vaccinating next week.
“We have a lot to coordinate in the next week as we have both types of vaccine coming for first and second doses,” states Iszler. CVHD will be receiving 300 doses of Moderna vaccine the week of January 25 for first doses for those in priority group Phase 1B, specifically those 75 and older. “In addition to the second dose clinics, we will also be working to coordinate a first dose vaccination clinic for those in Phase 1B,” says Iszler.
“We are very excited to offer vaccinations to those are have been waiting,” expresses Iszler. Central Valley Health has established an interest survey that collects names of those interested in COVID vaccine and also determines which priority group they are eligible for. The survey is available on the CVHD website at www.centralvalleyhealth.org. To date, CVHD has collected over 900 responses of those interested in the COVID vaccine from Stutsman and Logan Counties. Of those 900 interested, over 350 are over the age of 75.
Once the vaccine arrives, CVHD will begin calling those on the list in order of signing up on the interest survey while following the priority group guidance. Participants will then be invited to make an appointment at a vaccination clinic. Appointments at the vaccination clinics will be required to enter the facility. Locations of the vaccinations may change depending on availability of the facility and those wishing to be vaccinated will be notified of the location when they are called by CVHD staff. “Do not show up at a vaccination clinic expecting to be vaccinated without an appointment and those without appointments will be turned away,” expresses Iszler.
Iszler is asking that the public to be patient while they wait their turn for vaccine. North Dakota continues to only receive less than 10,000 doses each week for the entire State. CVHD is working with the pharmacies and clinics on vaccine coordination and will continue to provide updates.
The interest in the COVID vaccine are encouraged to complete the interest survey is located at www.centralvalleyhealth.org.