COVID-19 Vaccine, Patience is Needed

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Lake Cumberland Citizens

There is growing frustration and confusion about the COVID-19 vaccine availability. There is a misconception that Lake Cumberland providers have vaccine they are not giving. There is a misconception we are not willing to put in the time needed to give the vaccines. Below we will clarify the present situation and, taking all things into account, beg for your patience and understanding.

Phase 1a (Our Present Situation)

Phase 1a includes long-term care residents and staff, and medical staff.

Not including the vaccine that is flowing through the federal contract with Walgreens and CVC for the long-term care residents and staff, as of today, as far as we know, most of the COVID-19 vaccine that has been allocated to our district has either already been administered or will be gone by the end of the week having been utilized for Phase 1a recipients, and Phase 1b, first responders. In a few instances, some surplus vaccine has been used for other populations, but on a very limited basis.

For now, the local health departments have not been authorized to order any Phase 1b vaccine. Across the state, efforts are being made at the state-level to move any available vaccine to areas where there are still Phase 1a demand.

The total COVID-19 vaccines received by your local health departments so far (again, these have already either been given, or will be given by the end of the week for Phase 1a recipients only), is as follows:

  • Adair: 300
  • Casey: 100
  • Clinton 100
  • Cumberland = 100
  • Green = 100
  • McCreary = 100
  • Pulaski = 800
  • Russell = 300
  • Taylor = 100
  • Wayne = 100

Should some small amount of any of this vaccine remain after we have met Phase 1a demand, we will open that up to the seventy and older population.

Keep in mind that area hospitals also received vaccine for their staff and to help vaccinate the medical community and first responders. Like us, we believe the hospitals have exhausted most of their inventory.

 

Phase 1b Status 

Phase 1b includes first responders (fire, police, etc.), school personnel, and those 70 and older. 

First Responders

The local health departments and hospitals have utilized surplus Phase 1a vaccine to target this population. Therefore, first responders have largely been taken care of.

School Staff

We have identified providers to administer the school vaccine in every county. Generally speaking, this will be the provider who already holds the school nurse contract with each school board. We have already provided to the state the lists of every school staff member (public, private, and Christian schools) who want the vaccine. This process has started and should be complete by mid-February.

Those 70 and Older

The local health departments and other area providers who have been approved to administer the COVID-19 vaccine stand ready to begin this phase. However, it is our understanding that much of this target market will be reached via mass vaccination sites via a state contract with Kroger beginning, perhaps, in mid-February.

Here are some challenges. According to census data, there are about 4.67 million people in Kentucky. At 209,369, Lake Cumberland accounts for 4.69% of the state’s total population. The state is presently receiving about 50,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine per week. Combining what doses all providers in Lake Cumberland together might receive, Lake Cumberland’s portion of the weekly state allocation based on its proportion of the state’s population size would be about 2,343 doses per week. While there is no guarantee we will get this amount per week, this would proportionally be our share.

The percent of Kentucky’s population that is 65 plus (the census data breaks at 65 plus, not 70, but this will give us a pretty good idea of what we are up against), is 16.8%. Applied to Lake Cumberland’s population, this would be about 35,174 people needing the vaccine. Now assume that 60% of that population will be willing to take the vaccine. This equals about 21,104 people. Remember, this is a two-dose vaccine, so we need double the amount or about 42,208 doses to vaccinate our elderly population.

Remember, the amount of vaccine Lake Cumberland might receive weekly is only 2,343 doses. Again, 42,208 doses needed, and 2,343 doses potentially received weekly. Let that sink in. At that pace it will take us about 4 months to vaccinate the 70 and over population once we are authorized to order this vaccine.

The bottom-line is, we need a lot of patience. The few drug companies who are manufacturing this vaccine are trying to produce enough for the entire planet. Hopefully, production can speed up, but none of us should expect the vaccination efforts to be over soon.

 

Phase 1c Status and Beyond 

Taking the above into account, vaccination efforts for these groups will be several months away.

COVID-19 Phases

COVID-19 Vaccination Phases

COVID-19 Vaccination Reference
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39 thoughts on “COVID-19 Vaccine, Patience is Needed”

  1. Iam age 70, is there an appointment system in place to schedule a vaccination for covid 19

  2. I am 77 years of age and am presently taking oral cancer medication. What is the best way to make sure I get registered? My caregiver is 65+. I need her also.
    Thanks,

    1. We won't start taking appointments until we are sure when vaccine is coming. Watch our Daily Brief. If we find out there are other local providers are receiving the vaccine, we will try to pass that along.

  3. Please open registration to everyone and if at the end of the day or week you have leftover vaccine call someone from the next group so that you don't through away any vaccine.

  4. I have friends not in the a1 group getting vaccinated. No health issues. Why can't I? As a person over 70 with several severe chronic health conditions. Can I be notified if and when I can get vaccinated. I don't have access to a computer every day to get your updates. As this is a shared computer, which is most of the time not in my possession. Thank you.

  5. For the age 70 and over group, do they need to call the local health dept and be put on a list or is there another procedure?
    Any info appreciated.

    1. I can't speak for any other providers who might receive the vaccine. The health department isn't keeping a waiting list. When we get vaccine, we will open up appointment slots until they are full. I wish there was a better way, but we will have way more demand than we do supply and any way we do this, it is going to take weeks or even months to get through the 70 and older group.

    1. I'm sorry but we aren't keeping a waiting list. We will take appointments as soon as we have vaccine.

  7. I am 82 and have health issues. Please notify me when I can get the vaccine. Thank you.

    1. I'm sorry but we aren't keeping a waiting list. We will post when vaccines are available and offer appointments until the slots are full.

  8. My husband is 81 with many health issues. I am his wife and caregiver but am 66. Will I be eligible to receive the shot when he gets his?

  9. Are the vaccines only available to county residents? Is there a state residency requirement in place for 70+ year olds to ensure out-of-state neighbors don't come in to get vaccinated?

    1. I can't speak for other providers, I don't think we would turn away any Kentucky resident. We might turn away someone from out-of-state.

  10. Thank you for the great work you are doing! I’m sure the demands must me overwhelming. Will this website be the best place to monitor for when we can sign up those over 70 to be in line for the vaccination?

    1. I'm unclear about that, at this point. The present push at the state level is to provide vaccine to the regional nodes, (Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital, in our area), and to vaccinate school staff. In February, it appears there will be mass clinic sites provided by Kroger.

      I don't know what part, if any, local health departments will play in the near future. We will post publicly any role we have we we learn of such.

  11. Greensburg Kentucky school systems need to be shut down due to this Forest if that's what's causing the virus they need to quit the schools this year I will not let my kid go back

  13. Drove up to Lexington VA hospital (Cooper Drive) and got my first dose of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine with the second dose scheduled for Feb. 6.
    This was a walk-in, first come first served mass vaccination event for veterans 50 and over. While initially scheduled to run from around 8 to 5, because the response was so great, they closed early on Saturday to avoid running out of vaccine. It was reported that they dosed 1000 in the first three hours. I got my injection at 2:30.

    Probably too late to get up there today, but any vets interested should get there first thing tomorrow. There is a separate line for veterans who are patients of the Lexington VA system. Other vets were all in another line.

    My only reaction was some very slight shoulder muscle "sensation". Can't really characterize it as pain, jus aware something happened. No fever (it's now around 20 hours post injection) and also no aches or pains associated with the vaccination. I am 73 years old and am in excellent health. Take no medicines or have any underlying conditions. Didn't see or hear of anybody having any reactions during the 2 hours it took me to get in line, get vaccinated, and then wait around for 15 minutes to make sure there were no immediate side effects.

    Parking is a nightmare and vehicle lines were long. Maybe park at Kroger Field and walk to the main hospital entrance as opposed to waiting for a very long time to get to the parking garage.

    Evidently this was a "first in the nation" for a veteran's walk in vaccination effort.

    Was told since I now have a date and time certain for the second shot the wait would be minimal.

    Again, veterans only for those 50 and older.

  14. Is there a charge for the vaccine? If not for the vaccine, is there a charge that is being charged by the provider?
    Be that CVS or Walgreen. If so, why should they be allowed to charge a fee as they are under contract to the government to provided the innoculation.

    If probably charge, is this covered by Medicare?
    Thanks,

  15. I would ask that you keep a waiting list to facilitate appointments (similar to Madison Co. Health Dept.) for persons in groups 1b, 1c, and further. This could be helpful to vaccination providers when additional vaccine is available to the public. Also, it could reduce a bottle-neck of people randomly showing up at providers for the vaccine and frustration among individuals.

    1. I'm sorry, but we won't be doing this. We don't know when or if we will be authorized to order more vaccine.

  16. You don't know WHEN or IF the LCDHD will be authorized to order MORE vaccine??? This is very disappointing information from our regional health department. Why cannot the LCDHD keep a waiting list when other county health departments can? How will the public know when providers are ready to administer the vaccine to groups 1c, 2, 3, etc.? It appears that your "failure to plan" an orderly delivery of vaccine to the public could mean a "plan to fail" in the execution of vaccinating people in the Lake Cumberland District Health Department area.

    1. We could keep a list, but why? We don't know if we are going to get vaccine. Why put people on a list and give them a false sense of security they are going to get a vaccine? Plus, there is so little vaccine coming into Kentucky, even if we put people on a list, it could be months before they are worked into a clinic.

  17. Two questions: I am a permanent resident of Kentucky married to a permanent resident of Michigan; he lives here in Kentucky six or seven months of the year. Would he be able to be vaccinated here with me? Also, I am over 70 so I qualify. He is nearly 65 with underlying medical conditions. Would this enable him to move into the 70-and-older category? Thank you for your response, and thanks to all of you for all you're doing to get everyone vaccinated.

    1. I can't speak for other providers, but would assume he can get it in Kentucky when Phase 1c gets here.

  18. How can I go in and sign up for the Covid Vaccine please? My husband is 74 years old and needs to get on the list.
    Thank you and God bless.

    1. The health departments in Lake Cumberland aren't keeping a list because we haven't been assured we will get anymore vaccine. The only area provider getting vaccine is Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital, 500 doses per week.

  19. A registration list is only logical. It will enable orderly and timely distribution when the vaccine is available. Other counties have registration lists. Please get on board and register!

  20. I know that there is a real problem right now with a shortage of vaccine in many/every state that has mostly brought vaccinations to a halt until more supply is received. However, I find it very confusing regards two issues: First, I had CVS tell me that they (and Walgreens) have a national contract to vaccinate people (excluding medical personnel vaccinations) and that they didn't have a program in place other than the one where they vaccinated in nursing homes but as soon as the individual pharmacies were advised by their corporate office as to the procedure then they would make it public. But from a couple of things I have read recently I am now getting the impression that maybe health departments are going to also offer vaccinations to the general public (or some groupings of it). Is that correct? The second issue I find confusing is whether you are splitting out the lB Group so that certain sub-groups within it receive the vaccine on a priority basis once vaccine is again available with Over 70 subgroup from 1B coming in last (after teachers, first responders, etc.)
    Is that correct

    1. It is confusing. There are a lot of wheels in motion at every level of government. I do understand the federal government is working on a plan to supply the vaccine to pharmacists once the supply is more readily available. Health Deaprtments are willing to give the vaccine, also, we just haven't been approved to do so. The Governor said the school staff was going ahead of the seventy and older because society needs the kids back in school. As any of this stuff materializes, we will update our brief accordingly.

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