Anne Michael, a Tama Council member received her first dose of the Moderna vaccine Friday, Jan. 29 from TCPH nurse Penny Tyynismaa. Forty people were scheduled to be vaccinated Friday. Another 100 people 65 and older are scheduled to be vaccinated Monday. Allison Graham/Sun Courier

Despite a limited supply of COVID-19 vaccines, Tama County Public Health (TCPH) held their first vaccination clinic for Phase 1-B populations late this week.

Following approval by the state of Iowa, TCPH staged a vaccination clinic at the Iowa Juvenile Home facility on Jan. 29.

The facility was closed by the state in 2014 and has sat vacant ever since. TCPH staff utilized the former nursing station and support unit on the lower floor of the school building.

Forty people received vaccinations for what served as a trial run for a larger clinic set to occur on Monday.

On Monday, 100 people ages 65 and older are scheduled to receive the first round of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.

Upon arrival participants getting the vaccination will check in at a nurses station where temperatures will be taken. After check-in, the vaccine shot is administered in a separate room following a series of questions.

Once the shot is administered individuals are required to sit and wait for 15 minutes to ensure no allergic reactions occur. A second round of the vaccination will be administered 28 days following the first dose.

TCPH is working off a list of individuals 65 and over who have signed up to receive the vaccine. TCPH Director Shannon Zoffka said that if individuals have already called TCPH and are on the vaccine wait list, there is no need to call again. TCPH will contact those individuals when appointments are available.

Those within the Phase 1-B priority populations that have not signed up for the waiting list are encouraged to contact TCPH to be added to the list.

There are currently over 1000 people already signed up.

Doses of the vaccine will arrive in stages so it will not be possible for everyone on the list to be vaccinated at once.

TCPH encourages people to be patient with the process. Doses are anticipated to come weekly and TCPH does not know how many they will receive from week to week.

In the meantime, masking, handwashing and social distancing is still encouraged.