County health department trying to manage vaccinations

Hours after the Auglaize County Health Department board met on Tuesday, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar announced the government would be releasing its entire vaccination supply to states, rather than holding second doses in reserve.

Azar said the U.S. is currently getting vaccines into arms at a rate of 700,000 vaccinations per day, The next phase of the federal vaccination distribution includes encouraging states to expand eligible groups and access points for the vaccine. During a press conference Tuesday CDC director Robert Redfield strongly recommended vaccinations be expanded to those 65 and older due to their vulnerability.

In December there were 704 COVID-19 cases detected in Auglaize County and since the pandemic began there have been 48 related deaths.

“The numbers are still on the rise and staying steady, which is unfortunate,” Health Commissioner Oliver Fisher said. They held a clinic on Dec. 30, with 62 vaccines held that day, two of those vaccines were extra doses.

Starting Jan. 19 vaccines will be available to Tier 1-B. In Auglaize County Side effects to receiving the vaccines have been minimal though a few people have reported a light fever, fatigue, sweating, or soreness. Dr. Juan Torres said he didn’t have any symptoms when he took the vaccine and “didn’t even feel it.” Torres said symptoms could be from an antibody response to the vaccine. He encouraged people to make sure to receive their booster shots after their first dose.

It is anticipated there will be an interactive map released by state officials topday to find locations in the area where people can go to be vaccinated. Fisher said he is hoping to get more providers enrolled in that process to help make the vaccine more available, though Fisher said at the health department they are available on a scheduled basis. The shot costs $20 and is billable through health insurance.

As of right now Kroger, Joint Township District Memorial Hospital and Auglaize County Health Department will be able to distribute vaccines.

At the Health Department Fisher said they have only been receiving about 100 doses each week, which limits what they can provide, Fisher said the 80 and older category which could receive prioritization is still large in Ohio and could take a month to vaccinate that group through the entire state. He said the doses are being sent out based on weekly surveys of county needs, and that the system makes it difficult to plan weeks ahead of time. Fisher said setting up a drive-through clinic with only a 100 doses would cause mass chaos.

Fisher said the health department has received numerous phone calls from people wanting to get scheduled. He said they have tried to not take waitlists, because in one county that list grew to over 1000 people making it difficult to manage.

He said they have started preparing lists of school staff, to better prepare for when that distribution is available to them. Fisher said he could see performing onsite vaccinations for school staff.

Vaccines from Johnson and Johnson and Astrozeneca are expected to improve availability once they are approved.

Board members learned contact tracing and Covid-response grants had been given extensions until next December.

Fisher also reported that they received an enhance operation grant for $127,000 which the department has until July to spend. The COVID-19 needs assessment grant, for $20,000 needs to be spent by March.

Environmental Health Director Kurt Anderson reported that a warrant has been issued for James Dulebohn of Wapakoneta due to non compliance with an order to fix an aeration system on Infirmary Road. Anderson acknowledged that new motors for the devices can be expensive. Dulebohn had been convicted of a similar misdemeanor last year and ordered to pay a $100 fine.

Anderson said several establishments have been visited by the Ohio Bureau of Worker’s Compensation regarding reported mask compliance violations. He said several were gas stations and mini marts. He said Workers Compensation reports show what the complaint was, but they don’t really show what the outcome was.

“I haven’t heard of anybody being shutdown for 24 hours in the county,” Anderson said. “Mainly it's mask complaints.” Complaints on establishments are either directed towards employees or customers.

He said Lowes was among the Wapakoneta locations that saw complaints said there is often a two week lag between when the complaint is received and when it is investigated.