Union County Vaccination Strategy
The Union County Health Department (UCHD) is using a focused, strategic approach to administer the limited COVID-19 vaccine we are receiving.
We are currently preparing for Ohio to extend vaccination to the Phase 1b group, starting with Ohioans age 65+. Governor DeWine has indicated this effort will begin in Ohio the week of Jan. 19. We ask for your patience as vaccine supplies continue to be very limited and arrive in small quantities each week. With the limited supply, it will likely take many weeks to vaccinate all those in the age 65+ category who wish to be vaccinated. To avoid scheduling appointments for doses we do not have, we are scheduling clinics each week based on the quantity of vaccine that is arriving weekly.
Union County Vaccination Progress
Status Update January 14, 2021:
How to Make Your COVID-19 Vaccination Appointment in Union County, Ohio
Governor DeWine has opened up COVID-19 vaccination to persons age 80+ starting the week of Jan. 19. In Union County, Ohio, there will be two providers offering COVID-19 vaccination for persons age 80+. These providers are Kroger pharmacy and the Union County Health Department. Here’s how it will work:
Union County Health Department
Starting at 9am on Friday, Jan. 15, residents age 80+ can start booking appointments for the 80+ COVID-19 vaccination clinic scheduled for Jan. 20. This first clinic is only open to people age 80+. To book an appointment for the 80+ COVID-19 clinic, the individual or someone assisting that 80+ individual, should go to www.uchdclinic.org.
If you do not have computer access, you can call the Union County Health Department beginning at 9am on Friday, Jan. 15 and make your appointment over the phone. This phone assistance will be available on Friday, Monday and Tuesday.
Appointments are first come first serve. Once all appointments have been booked for this first clinic, the scheduler will close. We are not “pre-registering” individuals for future clinics. Vaccine arrives weekly and quantities are unknown so we can only book appointments one week at a time.
Individuals 80+ that may need assistance making an online appointment or who may need transportation assistance can also call Union County Senior Services at (937) 644-1010 select option 5.
Several local churches have also agreed to assist parishioners in using the online scheduler or to share information about upcoming clinics. Residents are encouraged to reach out to their church if they have any barriers to registering online.
Kroger Pharmacy
Kroger pharmacy in Marysville will be offering COVID-19 vaccinations for persons 80+. All COVID-19 vaccinations require an appointment. Appointments can be made at kroger.com/ohiocovidvaccine or by calling Kroger’s COVID-19 vaccine helpline at 866-211-5320. The Kroger helpline will be active starting Saturday, Jan. 16. All COVID-19 vaccines will require an appointment via kroger.com/ohiocovidvaccine or 866-211-5320 once vaccines are available.
Status Update Jan. 13, 2021
Vaccination in Union County, Ohio – Here’s What We Know
Governor DeWine has announced we can begin COVID-19 vaccination of ages 80+ the week of Jan. 18. Here is what we know as of today:
- Vaccine supply remains very limited.
- It will take many weeks to vaccinate every person who wants to be vaccinated in the 65+ age group.
- We estimate there are about 7,000 Union County residents age 65+.
- We anticipate receiving as few as 100 doses and as many as 500 doses a week for the next several weeks.
- Stay tuned to these email updates. Information will be coming out each week about who is eligible, when you can make your appointment, and how to sign up for the coming week’s vaccine clinic(s).
- Vaccine planning and logistics are on very condensed timeframes.
- Vaccine shipments arrive weekly on either Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. We do not know the exact date the vaccine will arrive for that week’s use.
- We do not know the estimated quantity of vaccine to expect for the next week until Tuesday or Wednesday of the current week.
- Our goal is to administer every dose we receive within the week we receive it.
- We are committed to vaccinating everyone in the 65+ group as quickly as vaccine supply allows.
- Please be patient and know that we will keep pushing information out to our residents as we have it.
- We will keep adding vaccination opportunities as much as we can based upon vaccine supply.
- We will be using a drive thru clinic style that will be by appointment. Appointments will be made online with opportunities to make an appointment by phone for residents without a computer.
- Appointments are being used to help with traffic flow and to help us meet data reporting requirements.
- Proof of age will need to be shown at the clinic (ID, birth certificate, etc).
- Drive thru format is something we are comfortable with and helps us maintain social distancing.
Who, When, How?
Vaccination for persons 80+ will start the week of Jan. 18 in Ohio. We typically do not receive vaccine until Monday or Tuesday of each week so we are planning our first clinic for Jan. 20.
This clinic will be by appointment. Appointments will be made through an online scheduler and will be first come first serve. Residents without a computer will be able to call our office and get assistance making an appointment. Once all available appointments have been booked, the scheduler will close. Each subsequent week, a new appointment scheduler will open up based on vaccine availability. Individuals will need to check back each week to book an appointment.
For residents with an appointment, vaccination will be a drive thru service. You will need to bring proof of age (ID, birth certificate, etc) to the clinic to verify you are age 80+.
If you are a friend, neighbor or family member of a Union County resident who is age 80+, please help share this information. We are also asking friends, family and neighbors to help our 80+ residents who may need some assistance in booking an online appointment.
Additional Vaccination Providers: There will likely be one additional COVID-19 vaccination provider within Union County for next week. As details are finalized, we will make sure to share this additional resource for vaccination.
Ohio Phase 1b Vaccination Timeline:
Week of Jan. 18 – Open up ages 80+
Week of Jan. 25 – Open up to ages 75+ and Ohioans with severe congenital, developmental or early onset medical conditions
Week of Feb. 01 – Open up to ages 70+ and adults working in schools
Week of Feb. 08 – Open up to ages 65+
Status Update December 2020:
The Union County Health Department received our initial shipments of COVID-19 vaccine (200 doses) on Dec. 22, 2020. We administered these limited initial doses on Dec. 23 to EMS and primary care doctors and nurses from departments and practices within Union County. We have received 100 doses per week each of the following weeks (400 doses total as of Jan. 10, 2021) and have administered every dose within the week it was received through closed clinics. Doses have been administered in accordance with Ohio’s phase 1a tier which includes EMS, primary care doctors and nurses, other healthcare providers routinely providing care to COVID-19 patients or treating people with symptoms consistent with COVID-19, and residents and staff of group homes or other congregate care facilities for persons with developmental disabilities or mental illness.
Hospital systems are directly receiving vaccine for their healthcare workers. Local nursing home and assisted living residents and staff will receive vaccination through the federal partnership with CVS, Walgreens and a few other selected pharmacies.
The Union County Health Department will continue to expand COVID-19 vaccination efforts in accordance with Ohio’s tiered approach.
Status Update Early December 2020:
The first doses of COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Ohio Dec. 14-15. These initial doses were administered to healthcare workers in Ohio hospitals who have direct patient contact. Ohio began vaccinating nursing home residents and staff through the
federal partnership with CVS, Walgreens and some select pharmacies on Dec. 18. The first shipment of COVID-19 vaccine was distributed to local health departments on Dec. 21. Ohio expects to continue to receive roughly 100,000 doses of vaccine on a weekly basis moving forward.
Across the U.S., COVID-19 vaccine is very limited at this time. During this period of limited vaccine supply, Ohio is using a phased approach to prioritize the vaccine. Early vaccine is prioritized to healthcare workers in hospital systems with direct patient contact, residents and staff of nursing homes, and other healthcare providers outside of hospitals that routinely provide direct patient care to COVID-19 patients or persons with COVID-19 symptoms. Ohio is also including residents and staff of group homes for individuals with mental illness or intellectual disabilities. This group is known as Ohio’s Phase 1a.
Governor DeWine announced Ohio’s Phase 1b group on Dec. 23 with greater detail released Jan. 07. Currently, Ohio has not moved into vaccinating this Phase 1b group. We are still working through the Phase 1a. group at this time.
