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COVID-19 vaccine remains in short supply; Phase 1B priority populations announced

MASON CITY – As Cerro Gordo County continues to vaccinate Phase 1a priority groups, healthcare workers and long-term care residents and staff, there has been an update to the Iowa Infectious Disease Advisory Council’s (IDAC) Phase 1b recommendations. We are currently still in 1a and will move to 1b when allowed by State order.

Since last week, there has been a push nationally to further expand eligibility of older adults and in response, Iowa is expanding Phase 1b to include Iowans age 65 and over.

Vaccine remains in short supply. This means not everyone in Phase 1b will be able to get vaccine right away. To help balance vaccine supply with the Phase 1b demands, IDPH has implemented a tiered prioritization, outlined below. IDPH remains in close contact with federal partners to communicate Iowa’s need for additional vaccines.

Phase 1B Priority Populations

Persons aged 65 years and over OR the following populations vulnerable to high risk of exposure or severity of illness (listed in order of priority):

Tier 1

  • First Responders
  • PK-12 staff, early childhood education, childcare workers

Tier 2

  • Frontline essential workers in food, agriculture, and manufacturing sectors who live or work in non-social distanced settings
  • Individuals with disabilities living in home settings and their direct care staff

Tier 3

  • Staff and individuals living in congregate settings not covered by previous Phase or Tier
  • Government officials, including staff, engaged in business at the State Capitol

Tier 4

  • Inspectors responsible for health, life and safety

Tier 5

  • Correctional facility staff and individuals incarcerated

“This is exciting for a number of reasons,” states Brian Hanft, Director at CG Public Health.  “First, it means that as soon as February 1st comes and we have adequate supply of vaccine, we are going to be able to get it into a lot of peoples arms; second, it answers a lot of questions as who gets to go first, second, third, and so on.”

CG Public Health is ready to administer doses to as many people as vaccine quantity allows.  “We have the staff, we have the site, even our volunteer pool is excited to start,” says Hanft. “Just get us the doses.”

There is NO list to get on to receive your vaccine, AND, signing up for OnSolve’s CodeRED alert system will be one of the easiest ways for you to receive information on the COVID-19 vaccine. HOWEVER, if you have signed up for this alert system in the past, perhaps to receive weather alerts, there is NO need to sign up again.

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