POLSON — Health officials in the Mission Valley say vaccine distribution has run smoothly so far with more than 500 Lake County residents receiving the first dose of the Moderna vaccine.
The numbers include vaccine distribution from Providence St. Joseph Medical Center, St. Luke Community Healthcare Network and Tribal Health.
Lake County Health Services Director Emily Colomeda says the health department began distributing the vaccine last week -- administering 70 doses to nursing homes and private care health care workers.
Due to a small staff and safety protocols, Colomeda says the health department is currently only running two half-day vaccination clinics a week out of the department’s conference room.
She says the health department is expecting to begin Phase 1B next week, scheduling individuals aged 70 years and older and those with underlying medical conditions.
“Our capacity to continue to vaccinate those folks will depend on our allocation, we feel like we will have as much as we need and as much as we can do but we don’t have any indication about how long that phase may take,” Colomeda told MTN News.
Colomeda says the health department has 130 doses of the Moderna vaccine ready for distribution once Phase 1B begins.