Sedgwick County health leaders explain next step in vaccine distribution


Sedgwick County health leaders explain next step in vaccine distribution

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – New information from Kanas Governor Laura Kelly Thursday (Jan. 14) clarified that Kansas counties that are through Phase One of the COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan, can now move on to Phase Two. This comes as Missouri says it is ready to enter the next tier of the vaccination strategy. At the local level, Eyewitness News spoke with healthcare leaders in Sedgwick County about the county’s next steps in moving on that next phase in which now includes people who are 65 or older.

Starting Monday (Jan. 18), Sedgwick County Health Director Adrienne Byrne said those who got an initial shot from Sedgwick County can begin scheduling for their second dose. Byrne said Sedgwick County is ready to begin the second phase of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s (KDHE) vaccination plan, but when that happens depends on when the vaccine actually arrives. For now, that’s where everything is held up, Byrne explained.

“If we, by chance found out, say Monday or Tuesday of next week we’re getting (the) vaccine in to be able to move into Phase Two, we would be ready to set up and go, get people going,” she said.

Thursday night on “Right Now with Michael Schwanke, Sedgwick County Health Officer Dr. Garold Minns and Assistant County Manager Tim Kaufman addressed what happens next.

“The first challenge is (having) a lot larger group than our healthcare workers in terms of just actual numbers,” Dr. Minns said. “So it’s going to take ramping up our ability. Fortunately, we’ve had the experience with our healthcare workes kind of getting the bugs worked out.”

Sedgwick County estimates between 150,000 and 175,000 people fall into Phase Two of the vaccine distribution plan and it could take three to four months to complete. The goal is to work with doctors’ offices and pharmacies to give the vaccine at their sites, but Kaufman said leveraging the use of a large vaccination site is going to be the best path.

“What’s really important to us is to get as many vaccines into as many arms as we can, as quickly as possible,” Kaufman said. “We know we’re best at doing that in a mass vaccination site like what we’ve operated at INTRUST Bank Arena.

Byrne said Sedgiwkc County also is looking for another dedicated space to give the vaccine since INTRUST Bank Arena is back to holding events.

Copyright 2021 KWCH. All rights reserved.


Source link

MENU

Back
Widgets on side panel

Don’t miss

Translate »