Thousands of additional Iowans now eligible for COVID-19 vaccine

ALXY: RIGHT NOW IN IOWA, THOUSANDS MORE PEOPLE ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE COVID-19 SHOT. THE STATE STARTS ITS NEXT PHASE OF VACCINATIONS TODAY. BUT AS KCCI’S BEAU BOWMAN TELLS US NOT ALL COUNTIES SAY THEY’RE READY. BEAU: THAT IS RIGHT, AND POLK COUNTY IS ONE OF THEM. ELIGIBILITY IS NO LONGER GOING TO BE THE ISSUE AS IOWANS UNDER 64 YEARS OLD WITH PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS CAN NOW GET THE SHOT, THE ISSUE NOW WILL BE SUPPLIED. LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS WERE SAYING IT COULD BE WEEKS OR MONTHS BEFORE THEY CAN BE GIVING TO THE GROUP THAT BECOME ELIGIBLE TODAY THE POLK COUNTY . HEALTH DEPARTMENT SAYS IT WILL NOT BE OPENING UP ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY, BECAUSE IT STILL HAS A LOT OF PEOPLE IN PREVIOUS TIERS THAT NEED TO BE VACCINATED. >> WE STILL HAVE A POPULATION WHERE DEMAND IS MUCH GREAT THAN SUPPLY, SO WE FEEL LIKE IT’S VERY VITAL TO STAY IN THE TIERS THAT WE ARE AND MAKE SURE THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE AT LEAST GETTING ONE DOSE BEAU: HYVEE SAYS IT WILL OFFER THEIR VACCINES TO PEOPLE IN POLK COUNTY WITH UNDERLYING CONDITIONS THE COMPANY WAS GRANTED PERMISSION TO VACCINATED THE NEWEST ELIGIBLE GROUP BECAUSE IT RECEIVES ITS VACCINE SUPPLY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND NOT THE COUNTY. LIVE IN ANKNEY, BEAU BOWMAN, KCCI 8 NEWS, IOWA’S NEWS LEADER. ALXY: IOWA’S 211 CALL CENTER IS EXPANDING ITS SERVICES, TO HELP MANAGE THE SURGE OF PEOPLE LOOKING FOR A VACCINE APPOINTMENT. STARTING TODAY, THE 211 WILL HAVE A NEW PROMPT, ASKING IF Y IF YOU NEED HELP WITH VACCINE SCHEDULING. THE SERVICE IS MEANT FOR PEOPLE 65 AND OLDER WHO DO NOT HAVE INTERNET ACCESS OR THE TECHNICAL SKILLS TO SCHEDULE THEIR OWN APPOINTMENT ONLINE NEARLY 900,000 DOSES OF THE CORONAVIRUS VACCINE HAVE BEEN ADMINISTERED IN IOWA SO FAR. 332,000 PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN THEIR FIRST SHOT, AND ARE WAITING ON THEIR SECOND. 280,000 ARE FULLY VACCINATED

Thousands more Iowans are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. The state starts its next phase of vaccinations Monday, but not all counties say they’re ready.Polk County is one of them. Eligibility is no longer going to be the issue as Iowans under 64 years old with pre-existing conditions can now get the shot, but vaccine supply is limited.Local health departments were running short of vaccines before Gov. Kim Reynolds announced this move into the next phase of the rollout.Some local health departments say it could be weeks or even months before they can start giving vaccines to the group that becomes eligible today. Nola Ainger Davis, with the Polk County Health Department, says it will not be opening up additional eligibility, because it still has many people in previous tiers that need to be vaccinated.”We still have a population where demand is much greater than supply, so we feel like it’s very vital to stay in the tiers that we are and make sure those individuals are at least getting one dose.” Ainger Davis said.Hy-Vee says it will offer their vaccines to people in Polk County with underlying conditions. The company was granted permission to vaccinate the newest eligible group because it receives its vaccine supply from the federal government and not the county.Find out how you can get vaccinated in Iowa here.

DES MOINES, Iowa —

Thousands more Iowans are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. The state starts its next phase of vaccinations Monday, but not all counties say they’re ready.

Polk County is one of them. Eligibility is no longer going to be the issue as Iowans under 64 years old with pre-existing conditions can now get the shot, but vaccine supply is limited.

Local health departments were running short of vaccines before Gov. Kim Reynolds announced this move into the next phase of the rollout.

Some local health departments say it could be weeks or even months before they can start giving vaccines to the group that becomes eligible today.

Nola Ainger Davis, with the Polk County Health Department, says it will not be opening up additional eligibility, because it still has many people in previous tiers that need to be vaccinated.

“We still have a population where demand is much greater than supply, so we feel like it’s very vital to stay in the tiers that we are and make sure those individuals are at least getting one dose.” Ainger Davis said.

Hy-Vee says it will offer their vaccines to people in Polk County with underlying conditions. The company was granted permission to vaccinate the newest eligible group because it receives its vaccine supply from the federal government and not the county.

Find out how you can get vaccinated in Iowa here.