When can you get a COVID vaccine in Clay and Platte counties? ‘Remain patient’
If you live in Clay or Platte County, now is not the time to tell county health officials you want the COVID-19 vaccine just yet.
Health department officials in both counties say they are focused on getting doses to people in Missouri’s Phase 1A — which includes health care workers and nursing home residents and staff.
Unlike some other jurisdictions, the Clay County Public Health Center for now is not accepting registration for the vaccine from anyone else, health officials said.
In Platte County, “we are currently working on the technology and people-power to get our sign-up program up and running,” said Natalie Klaus, Platte County Health Department spokeswoman.
Both counties say they will update their websites and social media channels with information on vaccine availability and registration.
In both Kansas and Missouri, the next phase will include essential workers and people 65 and older. In Kansas, that may come as soon as early February, health officials said this week, depending on vaccine supply. Missouri has not given a timeline. Final phases are expected to be completed by late spring or early summer.
“Adults over age 65, those with high-risk conditions, essential workers and the remaining general public over age 16 are being asked to remain patient as the available vaccine supply grows and the focus of vaccine providers remains on those in Phase 1A,” Clay County said in a statement.
Clay County received its first shipment of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services last week. On Monday it begin vaccinating eligible health care workers who can’t get a shot through their employers.
Gary E. Zaborac, the county’s public health director, said that though “the process of vaccinating everyone will take months, this is a significant first step towards slowing the spread of COVID-19 in our communities.”
Eventually, shots will be available through places like health care providers, employers and local pharmacies, Clay county health officials said.
Sign-up efforts will vary county to county. At some point, people will be able to use the national Vaccine Finder to find where they can get a shot, though the COVID-19 vaccine isn’t listed on the online tool yet.
▪ The Kansas City Health Department has an online survey for residents who want the vaccine so the department can contact them with information about how to schedule an appointment to get the shots. The survey is on the city’s website, kcmo.gov/city-hall/departments/health/coronavirus.
People will be vaccinated according to occupation and risk status — basically where they fall on the vaccine priority schedule created by the state. Answering the survey questions does not guarantee a vaccination appointment, the health department says on the website.
▪ In Jackson County, residents and people who work in the county are asked to take a survey and sign up online. The survey — on the Jackson County Health Department’s website at jacohd.org/covid-19-vaccine-survey-tool — asks for contact information, occupation and pre-existing medical conditions.
▪ Wyandotte County’s online survey is on the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas’ website: wycokck.org/COVID-19. The health department will use your contact information to let you know when the vaccine is available and where. County residents can also call 3-1-1 for COVID information, health officials say.
▪ Johnson County health officials don’t have a sign-up but say the health department will tell residents when their turn comes on its website, jocogov.org/covid-19-vaccine, through local media and on the social media of the health department and county government. People can sign up for daily email updates at jocogov.org/coronavirus.
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