MONDAY'S COVID-19 UPDATE: County stays at red level, but positivity declines

As of noon Monday, January 18, 2021, the Indiana State Department of Health continues to show Clay County in the RED category on the Dashboard’s Color Code System. The county’s COVID-19 data shows a drop to 26.5% 7-Day Unique Positivity Rate among the unique people tested – those not previously tested - during Jan. 5-11, 2020. The data has been increasing for about a week but now shows a slight drop, while the overall 7-Day Positivity rating of 20.9%.

A county must remain at a lower Weekly Two-Metric Score for two consecutive weeks to move down to a lower advisory level. (The ISDH COVID-19 CURRENT Data Report is updated daily at noon. However, it regularly uses data 24-48 hours old to help ensure the report’s accuracy.)

In Indiana, 73 of the 92 counties are currently in the RED category, with 19 in Orange (16 with a score of 2.5, and three with a 2). ISDH will update the Dashboard’s Color Code System Wednesday.

Indiana COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic

Officials confirm 250 residents participated in the ISDH’s free COVID-19 vaccine clinic at the Clay County 4-H Fairgrounds last week.

Clay County Health Nurse Kim Hyatt said the local health department uses the appointments set up by the ISDH at the clinic. No walk-ins are allowed.

“If people aren’t registered, we won’t have the vaccine for them, “said Hyatt, who admits there is a lot of interest in the vaccine. “It gets a little overwhelming, but we have had great volunteers in the past week (at the clinic).”

The clinic has appointments scheduled every 15 minutes Wednesday through Saturday. But there is a lot more to the clinic, including a need to check patients in, prepare the necessary second appointments (28 days later), the vaccination itself, and finally watch the person after the vaccination for 15 minutes to ensure the patient’s safety.

“We are very thankful to the volunteers for their help,” said Hyatt, who added there would be 200 vaccines delivered this week to the clinic. “A lot of older people are having trouble getting registered, but we are trying to help them as much as possible.”

Hyatt said as the county health department continues to receive the vaccine from the state, more appointments will become available in younger age categories.

Eligible Hoosiers can schedule a vaccination online (https://www.coronavirus.in.gov/vaccine) or by calling 2-1-1 if they do not have access to a computer or need assistance registering.

People are urged to be patient while scheduling their appointments. Officials confirm the state is trying not to overwhelm the vaccine distribution system at the county levels or the volunteers trying to help.

Are you eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine?w

• Indiana residents age 70 or older;

• Volunteers in healthcare facilities with physical, close contact, or face-to-face interactions with patients; and

• First responders are currently eligible for the vaccine.

However, officials believe the age category will change within a few days. Log onto the ISDH website at www.coronavirus.in.gov/ for updates.

Volunteers needed

As more vaccine arrives in Clay County, Clay County Health Department’s Emergency Planning Coordinator Tom Champion said the clinic is ready to expand to meet the need for more appointments.

According to Champion, the Point Of Distribution (POD) design used for the current vaccination clinic can easily be increased from the current three vaccination sites to five. However, the need for more certified volunteers to operate the clinic.

Champion explained the process during a training event in March 2020. It takes at least 26 volunteers to work 12-hour shifts to set up, disperse, and help people until a regular POD closes. The vaccination clinics are different because it could take months to complete the process.

Volunteers with certified medical experience such as doctors, nurses, Emergency Medical Technicians, and paramedics are definitely needed.

“We especially need EMTs,” said Champion. “People interested in volunteering can contact the Clay County Health Department. If we get enough volunteers, no one will have to become overworked during this process.”

The clinics are open Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at the Clay County 4-H Fairgrounds.