COVID vaccinations continue in local area - Notification sign-up now also available through Veterans Memorial Hospital web page


COVID vaccines continue to be administered ... Allamakee County Public Health continues to receive 300 doses of COVID-19 vaccine from the State of Iowa weekly that need to be administered to those in tier 1B within one week. These doses continue to be distributed with help from Public Health’s collaborating vaccine partners, including Hartig Drug, The Prescription Shoppe, Gundersen Clinic and Veterans Memorial Hospital Clinic, who all administer them to individuals age 65 and older. Veterans Memorial Hospital is now offering an online sign-up option for those wishing to get on a waiting list for the vaccine (see surrounding article for step-by-step directions). Pictured above, Dorothy Bratrud, seated at left, and her sister, Theresa Helgeson, seated at right, both received the COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday, February 16, and are being assisted by Veterans Memorial Hospital volunteers Rick and Cathy Larson. Submitted photo.

Shipment of vaccine doses for this week have been delayed by weather

Allamakee County Public Health (ACPH) is scheduled to continue to receive 300 doses of COVID-19 vaccine from the State of Iowa weekly that need to be administered within one week to those in the Phase 1B group designated by the Iowa Department of Public Health.

However, Allamakee County Public Health officials advised Monday, February 22 that the doses slated to be received for administering to Allamakee County residents this week have been delayed by the same weather situations that have delayed a number of dose shipments across the nation.

“We usually receive our doses late Friday afternoon for administering the next week,” advised Sheryl Darling-Mooney of Allamakee County Public Health Monday afternoon. “Instead, we were notified Friday around noon that there will be a delay in receiving our doses for this week. They couldn’t tell us how much of a delay, but as of today (Monday) we have still not seen or heard anything.”

Darling-Mooney said the delay has impacted original plans for this week for the Gundersen Clinics in both Waukon and Lansing, Prescription Shoppe in Postville and the patients of Dr. David Schwartz, as well as ACPH. She said those awaiting their vaccinations this week will, unfortunately, need to be even more patient than they’ve already been.

On a more positive note, Darling-Mooney said that the initial series of vaccinations was able to be completed last week in all school districts in Allamakee County. “Those who wanted them in the districts now all have that primary dose,” she said. “Every one of the schools has been beyond fabulous to work with.”

The doses that have been received continue to be distributed with help from those collaborating vaccine partners of ACPH, including Hartig Drug in Waukon, The Prescription Shoppe in Postville, Gundersen Clinics in both Waukon and Lansing, and Veterans Memorial Hospital Clinic in Waukon, who all administer them to individuals age 65 and older.  Allamakee County Public Health continues to focus on vaccinating the additional tier groups in Phase 1B, such as teachers, school staff, fire departments, social workers, daycare providers, etc.)

Veterans Memorial Hospital is now offering an online sign-up option for those wishing to get on a waiting list for the vaccine. Directions to find the online sign-up option include the following:

1. Go to www.veteransmemorialhospital.com
2. Click on the COVID-19 Vaccination Sign-Up link
3. Fill in the simple form which asks just for name, age, date of birth, phone number, address and email address.

When vaccine is available, those on the list will be called to schedule an appointment for the vaccine. Specific directions will be given as to the location of the vaccination clinic and to bring insurance cards along.

Hartig Drug and The Prescription  Shoppe also have online vaccine waiting lists located at https://www.hartigdrug.com/covidvaccine and at https://www.nightingaledrug.com/coronavirus. Gundersen Clinic will continue to contact its patients when they are able to be scheduled for a vaccination appointment.

As always, area residents are reminded to continue to watch the local media for more updates on COVID-19 vaccination clinics, including the local newspaper, radio stations, and the Veterans Memorial Hospital Facebook page and website at www.veteransmemorialhospital.com.