In his daily update to employees and many others of St. Joe and Marshall counties, Saint Joseph Health System CEO Chad Towner gave an update on the COVID Vaccine last week.
The COVID Vaccine Clinic Task Force for Saint Joseph and Marshall Counties received the Moderna vaccine delivery on Wednesday and also provided nearly 300 more vaccinations to phase 1a high risk healthcare workers. Towner said, “It is remarkable what our SJHS colleagues have accomplished over the past ten months and an incredible lift to stand up the two vaccine locations over the past couple weeks with many logistical challenges.”
From a chart sourced from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) as the national guidance for vaccine administration Towner said plans for 1b and 1c are beginning to take shape. He went on to say, “Many of you outside of healthcare have already seen this and may be hearing about your likely assigned category.” Towner continued, “Please note that the State of Indiana could possibly release a slightly different plan.
Saint Joseph Health Systems is still working with the Department of Health regarding the 1a and 1b timeline and criteria. Towner said, “The DOH is expecting phase 1a to take us “deep into January” before we transition into 1b. It is our intent to safely administer the COVID vaccines as quickly as possible.”
The chart shows 1a to include health care personnel and long-term care residents. 1b includes first responders (Police/Fire), education workers including teachers and daycare workers, food and agriculture, manufacturing, corrections workers, public transit workers, employees of the US Postal Service and grocery store workers plus those citizens 75 years and older. 1c includes essential workers not in 1b such as transportation and logistics, food service, construction workers, finance, IT/communications and media, energy, legal, public safety along with water and wastewater. Citizens ages 65 to 74 and individuals ages 16 to 64 that have high-risk conditions.
