Sedgwick County to get 7,000 more doses of the coronavirus vaccine, taking appointments – KSN-TV

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) Sedgwick County says it is about to get 7,000 more doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

In a Thursday afternoon news conference, Sedgwick County Commissioner Pete Meitzner described the supply of vaccine the county is getting as a trickle. But after he said that, Deputy County Manager Tim Kaufman announced the new doses coming next week.

Id like to share some good news that weve received from KDHE, he said. Theyve informed us that our health department should begin to receive a regular weekly shipment from the states allocation next week. We anticipate receiving 7,000 Pfizer doses. Its our understanding we can plan on receiving 7,000 weekly doses, weekly, for the foreseeable future.

Dr. Garold Minns, the county health officer, said that the county is focusing on vaccinating healthcare workers and those residents who are 65 and older.

77% of our county residents that have passed away from COVID-19 are over the age of 70, he said.

Because the supply has not been what the county hoped, it is starting with older people in that age group and slowly adding younger people. The current age limit is 80 and older.

Sedgwick County has a website for people in those groups to schedule a vaccination. Click here. Those who do not have computer access can call 316-660-1029. Caregivers for elderly parents can fill out the online form for them.

The county will only schedule appointments for the vaccine doses it has on hand. It does not keep a waiting list. The appointments are only for Sedgwick County residents.

Also, the county will hold a drive-thru vaccination clinic Monday at the Wichita Transit System, 777 E. Waterman, for those who may have mobility issues. The drive-thru clinic is by appointment only.

Sedgwick County said the hospitals and long-term care facilities have been getting their vaccine doses directly from the federal government and those numbers are not included in the county totals.

Minns also discussed the importance of getting the second dose of the vaccine.

The second dose in some sense is the most important as receiving a second dose boosts your immunity up to 95 to 98% effectiveness, he said.

He also stressed that it is important to continue to wear a mask after getting vaccinated to protect people who have not been vaccinated.

The Sedgwick County Health Department updated its COVID-19 dashboard Thursday afternoon to show that there have been 13 more deaths linked to the virus. It brings the countys death toll to 375.

But the number of people who have tested positive for the coronavirus is not going up as quickly as it was in November and December.

The countys positivity rate is down to 7.6% after a high of 22.4% in November.

County list updated: Jan 27, 2021Sources:Kansas Department of Health and EnvironmentNebraska Department of Health and Human ServicesOklahoma State Department of Health

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Sedgwick County to get 7,000 more doses of the coronavirus vaccine, taking appointments - KSN-TV