Groups release Phase 1B details

Distributing 2.4K vaccine doses in Phase 1B, retail pharmacies included

The Lake County General Health District and the Lake County Emergency Agency have released information regarding novel coronavirus vaccine distribution ahead of the anticipated Jan. 18 start of

Phase 1B.

“It is important for Lake County residents to understand that the total number of vaccine doses being sent to each county to administer to its residents is quite small, with vaccine providers each receiving 100 - 200 doses,” the agencies stated in a joint news release Jan. 14.

“Lake County providers will receive 2,400 doses in total to administer to Phase 1B residents next week,” they went on to say in the release. “Additionally, providers do not know how many doses they are to receive each week

until several days before shipment, making it difficult to schedule clinic many days in advance.

To date, over 15,000 Lake County residents have expressed interest in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine through LCGHD.

“For these reasons, it will take many weeks to reach everyone in Phase 1B who are eligible and seeking vaccination.”

Statewide, an estimated 2.2 million people are eligible for phase 1B, according to Gov. Mike DeWine’s office.

“Vaccine providers are not expected to vaccinate everyone in each age group in one week,” DeWine’s office stated in a news release earlier this week.

“As new age groups are authorized to receive vaccinations, previous age groups will continue receiving the vaccine.”

The Lake County General Health District stated it is combining resources with Lake Health to vaccinate those eligible for Phase 1B.

“Anyone who is interested can be placed on a list to be contacted for scheduling when vaccine becomes available by visiting www. lcghd.org/2019-novel-coronavirus-ncov/covid-19-vaccination/, or calling 440350-2188,” the news release stated.

The link to sign up is located under the Phase 1B heading. Eligible individuals will then be notified through the Lake County Wireless Emergency Notification System via telephone and email with instructions on how to schedule an appointment.

Clinic times and locations will also be provided at that time. The agencies say it may take several weeks to be notified by the WENS system.

Initially, vaccine clinics will be limited to a few select sites, and later expanded as the vaccine becomes more available. Laketran has offered to provide transportation services to those who need it.

The health district will be working directly with Lake County schools to coordinate vaccination of interested school personnel, the agencies stated.

To support the response, Lake County is also utilizing the WENS system, which has the ability to send out text notifications to update residents about the health district’s COVID-19 vaccination website.

“This system will be one of several resources available for residents to have easy access to the most upto-date information,” the release stated.

“Residents are invited to text the keyword LAKEOHVAX to 69310 to sign-up to receive messages from the WENS system. This is an optional service, and residents

do not need to sign up for this service to receive notifications when the vaccine is available.”

Signature Health will also have vaccines and can be reached at www.signaturehealthinc.org or 440578-8203.

Lake County retail pharmacies receiving doses the week of Jan. 18

Discount Drug Mart • 34100 Vine St., Eastlake 440-942-3330

• 8500 Mentor Ave., Mentor 440-255-0040

• 8023 Crile Road, Concord Township 440-8532542

Discount Drug Mart will have appointment windows that align with their normal pharmacy hours, seven days a week. Patients should call the store, and press “1” for the pharmacy to schedule an appointment. Giant Eagle Pharmacy • 36475 Euclid Ave., Willoughby 440-946-7714

• 6556 N. Ridge Road, Madison 440-428-6111

• 30320 Lakeshore Boulevard, Willowick 440-9446963

• 8383 Tyler Boulevard, Mentor 440-701-1004

• 1201 Mentor Ave., Painesville 440-358-7769

• 6079 Andrews Road, Mentor-on-the-Lake 440306-0011.

Marc’s Pharmacy

• 9700 Lakeshore Boulevard, Willowick 440-9442801

• 7353 Mentor Ave., Mentor 440-951-1721

A statewide vaccine provider search was expected to launch Jan. 14 at coronavirus.ohio.gov/vaccine.

The search feature will “identify vaccine providers in each Ohio county, as well as the number of doses allocated to each location,” the news release stated.