Month: February 2021

Good morning, L.A. It’s Feb. 12. As local coronavirus cases and deaths begin to decrease, many residents’ focus is shifting from testing to vaccinating. We’ve reported on the myriad stumbles of the vaccination rollout, from inequitable distribution to confusion about the second dose to inadequate supply. Now, another issue is cropping up: Communication failures from the top down about who is eligible to get the shots. My colleague Jackie Fortiér, who has been covering the pandemic and health closely, reports that despite being considered healthcare workers — the first group that was eligible for the vaccine — parents and caregivers of people with disabilities are not consistently being granted access to inoculation. "The culture of the vaccine deployment world rig...

The governor's office will be withholding COVID-19 vaccinations from five Iowa counties in the next week. In a call with media outlets, the Iowa Department of Public Health Director Kelly Garcia said each county is required to distribute 80% of their allotted COVID-19 vaccines each week according to their population size. If they do not administer 80% of vaccines, the county will not receive their next week's allocation of vaccines. Garcia told news outlets that five counties will not be receiving their next COVID-19 vaccinations next week, but refused to identify the counties. KCRG was able to identify the counties as Washington, Chickasaw, Hancock, Poweshiek and Buchanan. The county health departments told KCRG that it's leading to a series of concerns around vaccination plans. Ho...