How will the COVID-19 vaccine work?

A COVID-19 vaccine will help our bodies develop immunity to the virus that causes COVID-19 without us having to get the illness. Vaccines train the immune system to prevent infections and illness by making antibodies and special white blood cells.

How is vaccine being distributed?

Due to the limited vaccine, the federal government and the state of Iowa have established priority groups that are being given the vaccine first due to their risk of exposure to COVID-19 and they risk for serious illness or death as a result of COVID-19.  We expect production of the vaccine to increase in 2021, when there will eventually be enough supply of the vaccine for everyone who would like to receive it.  Information from Iowa's Infectious Disease Advisory Council and it's recommendations can be found here:

• IDAC Phase 1A, 1B, 1C Recommendations

Vaccination Data

The Iowa Department of Public Health is reporting data on vaccines distributed statewide and by county.  Information is available at https://coronavirus.iowa.gov/pages/vaccineinformation.  

 

What about priority groups?

Iowa has established a priority group list that determines which groups will receive vaccine as limited supply remains an issue.

Phase 1A:  Healthcare Workers & Long-Term Care Residents

 

Phase 1B:  Current Phase - includes the following groups:

Persons aged 65 years and over. AND the following populations vulnerable to high risk of exposure or severity of illness (listed in order of priority):

Tier 1

• First Responders
• PK-12 staff, early childhood education, childcare workers: Scott County COVID-19 Vaccine Planning Childcare Worker Survey

Tier 2

• Frontline essential workers in food, agriculture, distribution, and manufacturing sectors who live or work in non-social distanced settings; Scott County COVID-19 Vaccine Planning Essential Worker/Business Survey
  • To be eligible for group 2, there is a two-part eligibility consideration. First, the person must work in one of the sectors identified. Second, the individual must work OR live in a congregate setting that does not allow for social distancing.
  • Examples:
    • Migrant farm workers who live in congregate settings where social distancing is difficult or impossible to maintain.
    • Manufacturing workers whose workstations are within six feet of another worker and there are no alternative solutions for worker safety.
  • Workers in industries that can social distance should not be vaccinated in Phase 1B; however, providers should use their best judgment in determining eligibility for vaccination.
  • Restaurant, grocery, and other essential workers are not included in 1B unless they meet another phase requirement.

• Individuals with disabilities living in home settings and their direct care staff
  • To be eligible, the individual with the disability must be dependent upon attendant care staff
  • For the purposes of federal disability nondiscrimination laws (such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Section 188 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), the definition of a person with a disability is typically defined as someone who (1) has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more "major life activities," (2) has a record of such an impairment, or (3) is regarded as having such an impairment.
  • Individuals identified as attendant care staff, even if they are a family member, are eligible under this group.

Tier 3

• Staff and individuals living in congregate settings not covered by previous Phase or Tier
• Government officials, including staff, engaged in business at the State Capitol

Tier 4

• Inspectors responsible for health, life and safety

Tier 5

• Correctional facility staff and individuals incarcerated

 

Phase 1C:  Individuals 64 years of age and younger with medical conditions that are or may be an increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19. See CDC recommendations at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medicalconditions.html

 

Scott County Health Department will be utilizing these prioritization guidelines to identify the populations vulnerable to high risk of exposure or severity of illness to provide vaccination while supply of vaccine remains low.

The current recommendations of the IDAC can be found here:  https://idph.iowa.gov/Emerging-Health-Issues/Novel-Coronavirus/IDAC. 

The Iowa Department of Public Health has issued a vaccine shortage order.  This order requires vaccine providers, by law, to only administer vaccines to individuals included in Phase 1A and Phase 1B.

Below is the anticipated vaccine rollout: