Penny Tyynismaa (Left) a Maternal/Child RN at Tama County Public Health administers the first COVID-19 vaccine to Registered RN, Claire Shefchik Wednesday morning.

Last Wednesday marked an exciting day for Tama County Public Health as they administered their first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Claire Shefchik, a Registered nurse at Tama County Public Health was the first to receive the vaccine.

Tama County received doses of their first shipment of the Moderna vaccine earlier this week.

The Meskwaki Health Clinic received its initial Moderna shipment from Indian Health Services (IHS) and have begun administering the vaccine as of Monday following the phases outlined by IHS.

The Moderna vaccine is a two part vaccination. A second shot will need to be administered 28 days following the first shot.

Each vial of the vaccine has 10 doses. Once cracked all 10 doses must be administered within six hours.

Last Wednesday employees of Tama County Public Health and a couple of employees from Tama Mercy Care will be receiving their first round shot.

Next week more vaccinations will continue for health care workers.

Process

The first step for getting the vaccine for those who are eligible is paperwork including consent. You can also sign up for v-safe tracking.

V-safe is a smartphone-based tool that uses text messaging and web surveys to provide personalized health check-ins after you receive a COVID-19 vaccination. Through v-safe you can quickly tell the CDC if you have any side effects after getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

Then you will receive a quick shot in the arm similar to how you would receive a flu shot.

Following the shot, you must stay for 15 minutes to watch for any allergic reactions.

If you have had allergic reactions to vaccinations in the past it is recommended to receive your vaccination at a hospital.

It should be noted that while the vaccines have started to arrive in Tama County the general public will not be able to receive the vaccine for at least three to six months.

Tama County Public Health continues to recommend masking and social distancing after receiving the shot.

Vaccine arrives in Grundy County

Grundy County Public Health (GCPH) received its first shipment of the COVID-19 vaccine last week. Shipments of the Moderna vaccine arrived in 2 locations within the county, with freezers required for the storage and temperature control of the vaccine. Additional shipments are expected this week, and in the coming weeks, at other healthcare facilities throughout the county.

These first shipments contain doses of the vaccine for individuals to receive their first dose of the two-dose series. Because initial COVID-19 vaccine supply is limited, GCPH is following the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the Iowa Vaccine Shortage Order prioritizing healthcare personnel and residents of long-term care facilities for vaccination. Vaccine will be given through closed points of dispensing (PODS) from partnerships established throughout Grundy County. These sites, and individuals identified as receiving dosages, include our local hospital, clinics, long-term care facilities, pharmacies, and others defined in the established priority groups.

While the vaccine will not be made available to the public for some time, in the interim, Grundy County Public Health reminds all residents to continue taking precautions to keep themselves and their families healthy. Those measures include:

-Stay home if you’re sick

-Wash your hands often

-Stay six feet away from others at all times

-Wear a mask when you can’t properly social-distance from others

-Recognize that older people and those with chronic health conditions like diabetes, obesity, heart issues, and organ transplants have a much higher risk of serious complications from COVID-19

For up-to-date information on COVID-19, visit https://coronavirus.iowa.gov/. You can also follow the Iowa Department of Public Health (https://idph.iowa.gov/Emerging-Health-Issues/Novel-Coronavirus) on Facebook (@IowaDepartmentOfPublicHealth) and on Twitter (@IAPublicHealth). Visit Grundy County Public Health on Facebook (@GrundyCoPublicHealth) and on Twitter (@GrundyCountyPH).