Health Center to Begin Receiving COVID-19 Vaccinations
By: Boone County Health Center
The first round of COVID-19 vaccines will arrive soon at Boone County Health Center. Due to limited supplies, the COVID-19 vaccine will not be available for the general public at this time. Frontline healthcare workers will be the first to receive the vaccine according to federal and state distribution directives.
“From the start, we have known a vaccine will play a key role in helping stop the spread of COVID-19,” said CEO and President Tanya Sharp.
Staff with the highest exposure risk for COVID-19 will take priority in receiving the vaccination first. Other classified healthcare workers will have the chance to receive the vaccination in the near future as more vaccines become available. The vaccine is not mandatory for any healthcare worker at Boone County Health Center, it is a personal decision.
“Our staff has endured a tremendous amount this year. It’s an incredible opportunity to finally be able to offer our healthcare heroes the hope this vaccination brings. This pandemic won’t last forever. With this vaccine, there is light at the end of the tunnel and soon we will move past this pandemic,” said Sharp.
“This vaccine helps in the fight against COVID-19. However, social distancing, masks, and proper hand washing also play a vital role in stopping the spread of COVID-19,” said Chief Medical Officer Dr. Lynette Kramer.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), by the end of December Nebraska may receive 104,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for healthcare personnel as well as residents and staff of long-term care facilities.
As more vaccine doses become available, vaccination for other priority groups identified in the State of Nebraska COVID-19 Vaccination Plan will follow. Details are subject to further clarification and prioritization by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which determines priority groups for the US.
COVID-19 vaccines may be available to the public as early as Spring 2021. For more information about the COVID-19 vaccine, visit the CDC website at cdc.gov