Residents 80 and Over Can Receive the New COVID-19 Vaccine Today, County Says No Appointments For Two Weeks

BY: DAVID SHEPHERD, NEWS DIRECTOR

JASPER -- More Dubois County residents will be getting vaccinated for COVID-19 starting today.

The Health Department’s COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic is offering the shot to residents 80 and older. Others that can now get the vaccine include healthcare workers and first responders.

Individuals age 80 and older account for less than 4 percent of the state’s population but represent more than 19 percent of the hospitalizations and more than half of the COVID-19 deaths in the state.

Dubois County health officials say demand for the vaccine is so high, they’re already booked for the next two weeks.

Those officials also ask, if you want the vaccine, please be patient. They’ll update us as the State Health Department continues to release eligible groups. Obviously, we’ll pass that information along as we get it.

Dubois County is using the Moderna vaccine. It requires two doses administered at least 28 days apart.

READ MORE FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT BELOW....

The Dubois County Health Department will open Monday January 11, 2021 for scheduled appointments ONLY to administer COVID-19 vaccine to eligible recipients. Due to the limited amount of vaccine we are receiving for the first two weeks, our schedule is already full. Eligible individuals will have to wait to schedule an appointment until after January 25, 2021.

The vaccine is available to individuals age 80 and older, as well as to licensed and unlicensed healthcare workers and first responders who have face-to-face interactions with patients or infectious material or work in a public-facing position that requires in-person contact. A photo ID, proof of age, or verification of current employment as a healthcare worker or first responder in Indiana will be required.

The Dubois County Health Department will follow the Indiana Department of Health’s guidance as they continue to release eligible groups. If you are wanting the vaccine, please be patient! Please pay attention to our press releases, the newspapers, radio stations, and our Facebook page for new information on vaccine eligibility.

Vaccine is available by appointment only to those currently eligible as determined by the Indiana Department of Health. That complete list is posted to https://ourshot.in.gov, and appointments can also be scheduled at that website or by calling 211 if you do not have internet access. There is no cost to the individual, but insurance may be charged an administration fee. Individuals should bring a photo ID and an insurance card if they have one.

At this current moment the Moderna vaccine will be available at the Health Department. This vaccine requires two doses administered at least 28 days apart. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it typically takes a few weeks for the body to build immunity after the second vaccination.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the vaccine under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), meaning the vaccine must be proven safe and effective in the same way that all medications and devices must be. The vaccine has been found in trials to be 94 percent to 95 percent effective in preventing COVID-19 infections in participants. Side effects are temporary and are generally mild, including fatigue, headache and sometimes fever.

People who have been vaccinated may still be able to infect others, so even those who are vaccinated should continue wearing a mask and quarantining if they are a close contact of a positive case.

The best ways to protect yourself and others are to:

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
Avoid touching your face with unwashed hands
Avoid close contact with people who are sick
Stay home when you’re sick
Cover your cough or sneeze
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces