Vaccine set for age 80+ by appointment next week

Here’s how eligible people across the Miami Valley can sign up for a shot.

Residents 65 years and older and younger people with certain medical conditions can now schedule appointments to receive the coronavirus vaccine in Montgomery, Miami, Warren and Preble Counties in the coming weeks.

However, some providers are already booked through next week.

Ohio is distributing its limited supply of coronavirus vaccine doses (a two-shot regimen administered three or four weeks apart) in phases. Phase 1B begins Monday, Jan. 18, with residents 80 years and older. More individuals become eligible for the vaccine each Monday for four weeks:

■ Jan. 18: Age 80 and above.

■ Jan. 25: Age 75 and above and Ohioans with severe, congenital, developmental or an early-onset medical disorder.

■ Feb. 1: Age 70 and above and K-12 school staff.

■ Feb. 8: Age 65 and above.

Area hospitals and health departments in Montgomery, Warren, Miami and Preble counties released details Thursday about how eligible residents can get vaccinated. Doses will largely be distributed by appointment only. Appropriate individuals should register with their county health departments, local hospitals or other providers such as some retail pharmacies. Some clinics are only scheduling individuals who are 80 and older while a few providers are preregistering other Phase 1B recipients.

During Miami County Public Health’s news conference Thursday morning, Lt. Gov. JonHusted asked people to remain patient as the state works to distribute a limited supply. Ohio expects to receive about 100,000 doses nest week. Ohio has roughly 420,000 people 80 and older.

The state is working on building a central scheduling system, said Gov. Mike DeWine on Thursday. In the meantime, the state is launching an online statewide vaccine provider search tool Friday morning at coronavirus.ohio.gov/vaccine.

Here’s how to get vaccinated in Montgomery, Warren, Greene, Miami and Preble counties:

Regional providers

Kettering Health Network has nearly 2,000 doses available for distribution in Montgomery, Greene, Miami and Butler counties. To schedule an appointment at one of Kettering’s vaccine clinics, visit ketteringhealth.org/coronavirus.

Premier Health has received 1,100 doses earmarked for the public. The hospital network will distribute the vaccine at four locations: Atrium Medical Center, Miami Valley Hospital South, Upper Valley Medical Center and a clinic across the street from Miami Valley Hospital. Area residents who are 80 years and older can call the hospital system’s central hotline at 937-276-4141 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. to book an appointment.

Some Kroger pharmacies in the area will be administering a limited allotment of vaccines, spokeswoman Erin Rolfes said. Starting Saturday, people can sign up for an appointment at kroger.com/ohiocovidvaccine or by calling 866-211-5620.

Montgomery County

Public Health-Dayton & Montgomery County has roughly 600 doses to distribute and will administer the vaccine at the Dayton Convention Center starting Wednesday. Beginning at 8:30 a.m. Friday, Montgom- ery County residents who are 80 years and older can register by visiting phdmc.org/coronavirus-updates or calling 937-225-6217.

Ketter i ng Health will distribute the vaccine by appointment at a clinic at 2050 E. Dorothy Lane in Dayton (the former Elder Beerman store at Kettering Town Center). To schedule an appointment, visit ketteringhealth.org/coronavirus. The hospital system has been allocated 1,575 doses for Montgomery County residents.

Premier Health will be administering vaccines at a clinic across the street from Miami Valley Hospital at 25 E. Foraker St. Area residents who are 80 years and older can call the hospital system’s central hotline at 937-276-4141 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. to schedule an appointment.

Five Rivers Health Centers has been allotted 600 doses. It will only distribute the vaccine at this time at its Family Health Center location at 2261 Philadelphia Dr. Beginning Sunday morning, patients can sign up for an appointment at fiverivershealthcenter.org.

Community Health Centers of Greater Dayton has been allotted 900 doses. Residents can call central scheduling at 937-461-6869 to make an appointment at one of its six locations.

Warren County

According to the Warren County Health District’s website, all vaccines it has received or will be receiving over the next week have been scheduled for distribu- tion by appointment. The earliest additional vaccine may be available through the department is Jan. 25. As the department receives more information about ship- ments, announcements will be posted at warrenchd.com/ c19-vaccine.

Phase 1B eligible residents can schedule an appointment (subject to availability) by calling the dedicated scheduling line at 513-695-7468.

The health department’s website states: “The Warren County Health District only receives 300-400 doses per week for the entire county. There will be very limited vaccine availability for the first few months.”

Greene County

Greene Co u nty Public Health announced on Wednesday that all Phase 1B eligible residents should register at healthalert.gcph.info/COVID19/signup or by calling 937-374-5600 to receive information about clinics. The health department will not share information pub- licly to avoid non-eligible people showing up.

Kettering Health announced Thursday that it will provide most of its doses allotted for Greene County through the health department but will also distribute 40 doses by appointment through a clinic at Jamestown Health Center. To schedule an appointment at one of Kettering’s vaccine clinics, visit ketteringhealth.org/ coronavirus.

Residents can go to premierhealth.com/vaccine to get more information as it becomes available on making an appointment to receive the vaccine at Premier Health locations.

Miami County

Premier Health is receiving 400 doses for Miami County next week. Residents can go to premierhealth.com/ vaccine to get more infor- mation as it becomes available on making an appoint- ment at Upper Valley Medi- cal Center.

The Kroger pharmacies in Troy and Piqua are also receiving an allotment to distribute next week, said Miami County Health Commissioner Dennis Propes, but he had no details to provide. According to Kroger’s website, its pharmacies will be scheduling appointments at kroger.com/ohiocovidvaccine.

After opening registration Thursday morning, Miami County Public Health’s vaccine clinic was booked by Thursday afternoon through next week. It stopped scheduling appointments, but registration will reopen once Public Health receives details on its next allocation. At that time, eligible residents can make an appointment at miamicountyhealth.net/ vaccine-registration or 937573-3461.

Clinics are being held at Public Health at 51 W. Water St. in Troy.

Public Health is sched- uled to receive 600 doses for next week, 100 doses of which are from Ketter- ing Health.

Preble County

Vaccinations through Preble County Public Health will be by appointment only. Starting today, people 80 years of age and older may register to be vaccinated at a clinic on Jan. 19 or two clin- ics on Jan. 21 through vacci- natepreble.com. If you have issues registering or need to cancel, call 937-336-8402.

Preble County Public Health is still seeking medical and nonmedical volunteers to help with the distribution. Volunteers will work through their Medical Reserve Corps program. If interested in volunteering, please call 937-472-0087, ext. 207, or email suzy@ preblecountyhealth.org.