Johnson County targets this group of seniors among 7,584 COVID vaccines this week
Johnson County will vaccinate people 80 and older first as it moves into the next phase of COVID-19 vaccinations this week.
All 7,584 appointments for vaccinations, based on doses received from the state, have been booked for this week, officials with the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment said in a statement Monday.
The department contacted people 80 and older who filled out an interest survey. Residents who are eligible for Phase 2 should fill it out at at jocogov.org/covid-19-vaccine, or call 913-715-2819.
As of last week, between 40,000 and 45,000 people had already completed the survey, health officials estimated.
Under the state’s Phase 2, Johnson County prioritized its workers and residents based on who is at higher risk for complications and exposure to the virus.
Counties are free to decide how to move through the phases, and Johnson County broke this one down into subcategories that will get the vaccine in this order:
▪ Ages 65 and older; educators/school staff; child care staff; emergency responders and food and agriculture workers.
▪ Homeless shelters; adult and child protective services; emergency shelters or safe houses; corrections facilities; behavioral health institutions and residential treatment centers; adult care homes; home care givers and personal care aides.
▪ Water and wastewater employees; U.S. Postal Service and Department of Motor Vehicles employees; retail, warehouses and sales outlets and companies that supply critical services or materials for the pandemic.
The department will notify people who completed the survey by email with instructions on how to book an appointment as doses become available, health officials said.
Vaccinations will be available by appointment only, Tuesday through Friday. Walk-ins are not allowed. Some local hospital systems and their affiliated doctors have started signing up patients as well.
County health officials said last week that teachers would soon get their vaccines at certain school buildings, in a partnership with Children’s Mercy.
This week the county will also continue vaccinating people from Phase 1, primarily health care workers, who are getting their first or second doses.
Residents and staff of long-term care facilities were also eligible for vaccines in Phase 1, through a federal distribution program.
This story was originally published January 25, 2021 at 5:58 PM.
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