The state supports plans to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine by age group

Indiana’s state health authorities have cracked down on the COVID-19 vaccination site, allowing teachers and others to cross the line before qualifying.

The move from state authorities came after several teachers across the state posted on social media that they had been vaccinated after being placed on a waiting list in case someone did not come to book a vaccine. happened.

State health commissioner Dr. Christina Box said some state clinics that ignored the guidelines would no longer be vaccinated with the first vaccination, but she and other state officials said where and how many vaccinations. It does not say if the location will be affected.

Locally, a 41-year-old Columbus East High School teacher has sparked some controversy in the community after claiming to have been vaccinated with COVID-19 earlier this month in a Facebook post.

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Where and where teachers are 24 years younger than the vaccination qualification cutoff at the time, and despite not meeting the qualifications of other groups of priority in Indiana, including first responders and healthcare professionals It is unknown if he was able to get the vaccination.

When contacted by the Republic, the teacher said, “I will not comment on this.”

However, controversy and disciplinary action by state health officials are about who should be next in line to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, how high priority teachers should be, and where the vaccination site remains in the remaining shots. It has sparked a debate about what to do. Otherwise it will be thrown away.

It also emphasizes state-specific differences in who the vaccines are prioritized.

In some states, some essential workers, including teachers, have already been targeted for shooting, according to the Associated Press. Other states, including Indiana, have so far almost entirely age-based vaccine eligibility, rather than prioritizing teachers and other essential workers.

According to the Wire Report, teachers from kindergarten to high school, about 65 miles south of Columbus, Kentucky, are currently eligible for vaccination. So are teachers in Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio.

Teachers are not currently included in the following groups that state health officials have signaled to be subject to shots — Fuscher over 50 and individuals with certain underlying illnesses.

However, Indiana state health officials support the COVID-19 vaccination program, pointing out statistics that people over the age of 60 account for the majority of COVID-19 deaths in the state.

In Bartholomew County, people over the age of 60 account for about 23% of confirmed cases of COVID-19, but nearly 90% of deaths, according to the Indiana Department of Health.

“Occupations do not increase risk,” Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb said in a press conference Wednesday. “… it’s actually age and your comorbidity, so we keep going that way.”

Last month, the Indiana Teachers Association called on state leaders to prioritize COVID-19 vaccine teachers after state health officials announced plans to distribute vaccines by age group.

“I am very disappointed to learn about Indiana’s decision to ignore the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance on vaccine allocation by removing teachers as the next candidate for the COVID-19 vaccine,” said the association president. Keith Gambill said in a statement last month.

Amy London, President of the Columbus Educators’ Association, did not respond to multiple requests for comment on the current mood of vaccination among teachers at Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation. Dakota Hudelson, listed as an additional contact for the Columbus Educators’ Association, declined to comment. “At this point, I’m not interested in talking about it!” Hudelson said in an email.

BCSC superintendent Jim Roberts previously said, “We will help teachers get vaccinated sooner rather than later.”

“And I had the opportunity to speak it verbally, sometimes in certain forums and in contact with the Ministry of Health,” Roberts said. “But that said, I understand that there are certain numbers of doses.”

Earlier this month, BCSC reported that the school had 498 positive COVID-19 cases since August, 54 of which were confirmed among teachers.

It is estimated that approximately 400 BCSC teachers, staff, and employees are eligible for vaccination in the current target age group of 60 and over.

Confirmation of eligibility

The local COVID-19 vaccination site has taken precautions to ensure that only qualified people are shot, including healthcare workers and first responders who do not live or work in Bartholomew County. It states that it is.

Currently, residents of Indiana over the age of 60, as well as certain healthcare professionals and first responders, are eligible for vaccination. However, Hoosiers do not need to be vaccinated in their county.

The Bartholomew County Health Department is asking everyone who asks to book a vaccine to show a photo ID to prove their age, said Amanda Organist, director of nursing at the department. Stated.

Those who do not meet the age requirements will be asked by their employer to provide some ID to ensure that they are employed as a healthcare professional or first responder.

Columbus Regional Health, which operates a COVID-19 vaccination clinic near the Columbus hospital campus, provides photo ID to prove age and for people who do not meet age requirements, including employee IDs. I am also looking for some kind of employment certificate. Card or law enforcement badge.

“The best way we could do that is to ask them to provide some sort of ID,” said CRH spokeswoman Kelsey Declue. “… Anything that indicates that your name is associated with your work address in relation to your work is acceptable.”

Retail pharmacies participating in the Federal Retail Pharmacy Partnership Program, including Wal-Mart and Kroger’s pharmacies in Columbus, say they are following state eligibility guidelines for vaccination.

A federal and state partnership to increase access to the COVID-19 vaccine nationwide, the program includes 21 national pharmacy chains and an independent pharmacy network, with over 40,000 retail and long-term care pharmacies in the United States. Represents the location of. Program website.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, participating pharmacies screen individuals to determine if they meet state vaccination eligibility guidelines, but of age and employment to administer the COVID-19 vaccine. No proof required.

“Pharmacies do not require proof of age, profession, or any other type of credentials. However, according to the program’s website, group membership verification relies on self-certification.” No one will be rejected due to lack of identification (such as a driver’s license), reducing the burden on participating pharmacies and individuals. “

Waiting list

However, those who provide vaccines are as lean as possible, following state and federal guidance on what to do if the dose is processed correctly and people cancel or do not appear for them. I’m planning to do a delicate dance to become.

When a vial of vaccine is thawed from its deep freeze, its seal is punctured, and the first dose is withdrawn, those who administer the vaccine are in competition to run out of it before it is ruined.

The Pfizer vaccine vial contains 5 doses, and in some cases an additional dose, and Moderna contains 10 doses. According to local authorities, clinic staff are doing their best not to open new containers unless they plan to inoculate registered recipients.

However, given the stringent time constraints of administering additional vaccines in the event of a no-show or cancellation, most Bartholomew County vaccination sites maintain a waiting list of people to contact immediately. ..

Vaccine clinics expect only a few remaining doses at most on a particular day. Providers also say that as vaccine eligibility increases, the likelihood that the remaining shots will be available to more people diminishes week by week.

According to the organist, the Bartholomew County Health Department maintains a waiting list in case someone cancels or does not appear.

“When we call someone on the waiting list, we first follow the criteria of the qualification group,” said the organist. “We only make vaccines when we need them. We don’t waste vaccines. These are the steps from day one.”

CRH also maintains a waiting list, but the standards for the hospital system are slightly different.

If someone cancels or fails to come to the vaccine reservation, CRH Clinic staff will contact others who have already made the reservation to see if they can come early.

If clinic staff cannot find someone, they may not be eligible as health care workers under state guidelines, CRH employees, or cancer or cancer that is considered at high risk of severe illness. Rely on CRH patients with active lung disease. Death from COVID-19, said DeClue.

According to Decrew, there are no official applications for the waiting list.

Kroger does not maintain a waiting list as part of it, but provides shots to those who are considered at high risk of hospitalization for COVID-19 if there is an extra dose at the end of the day That could be done, said spokesman Eric Halberson.

“To protect Fusher and prevent waste at the end of the day, the CDC may present shots to other individuals who consider themselves at high risk of hospitalization or death from COVID-19,” said Halberson. .. “This includes active cancer, chronic kidney disease, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), Down’s disease, heart disease, weakened immunity due to solid organ transplantation, obesity, pregnancy, sickle cell disease, smoking, type 2 diabetes. Includes those who are being treated for .. “

A Wal-Mart spokesperson said the protocol for how Indiana pharmacies handle additional vaccine doses was developed in collaboration with state health authorities “with the common goal of not wasting doses.” Said.

“Each vial contains multiple doses, which are given according to the CDC and (Food and Drug Administration) guidelines,” said spokeswoman Rebecca Thomason. “If additional doses from open vials are available and there is no scheduled schedule, rely on individuals within that priority to administer the remaining doses. If the state permits, that priority. If no one is available in the ranking, move to the next priority. “

“Not a vaccine police”

However, it is unclear how much action the Indiana Health Department can take to refrain from vaccination from retail pharmacies that it believes violate state vaccination requirements.

Kroger Pharmacy in Indiana receives vaccines directly from the federal government, not from the Indiana Health Department, Halberson said.

Some Wal-Mart pharmacies receive the COVID-19 vaccine directly from the federal government, while others receive the vaccine from the Indiana Health Department.

Both retail pharmacy chains state that they follow state guidelines.

As of Thursday morning, a total of 12,340 residents of Bartholomew County received their first COVID-19 shots. This represents nearly 15% of the county’s population.

In addition, 6,483 Bartholomew County residents received a second COVID-19 shot by Thursday morning and were considered fully vaccinated or less than 8% of the county’s population.

“We’re not trying to be vaccination police,” Box said Wednesday when asked by reporters about individuals who “crossed the line.”

“That’s the last thing we want to be,” she said. “We are trying to ensure ethical and impartial access to vaccines in all 92 counties, based on being the highest risk individual here in Indiana, as the data show. If you deviate from the guidelines, you will not be able to reach that goal. “