LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The health officer for Clark County, Indiana, praised his county's efficiency at giving COVID-19 shots, as officials hope to begin vaccinating people ages 60 and above as early as next week.
Officials emphasize that that schedule is not a certainty, but they plan to know more next week.
"We're on 70 and older," Dr. Eric Yazel said in an online news conference Friday morning. "It's going to go down to 60 or 65, probably as early as mid-next week. I think we can pretty reliably see that happening."
Dr. Eric Yazel says he regularly asks the state for more doses and was delighted to receive several hundred extra this week. New research suggests a person's immune response starts to falter about 42 days after the first shot without a booster.
That news prompted Yazel to hold back a few hundred doses to be used as boosters.
"We talked to the state, and I said, 'Twenty-eight days from now, can you guarantee me the same amount to get in by the 42-day mark?' and they're not sure," Yazel said. "The supply line is a little iffy. So, the last thing we want to do is sign people up for the first dose, and when they come back, say we're not sure what's going to happen here. So, that's been a big game-changer this week that we've been trying to navigate through."
Yazel said he hopes vaccinations for people 60 and older can start the week of Feb. 1, followed by first responders and teachers. There is a standby list, but it hasn't been needed much.
"We do have a standby list," Yazel said. "Honestly, haven't used it much because our no-show rate is really low. But, priority goes to those who are still in the appropriate tier and haven't been able to sign up yet."
If you are eligible, click here to register and make an appointment.
Here is a list of Indiana vaccine clinics by county:
Click here for an interactive map to vaccine clinics statewide.
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