Last week, a significant community vaccination threshold was passed – 10,000 vaccine doses administered by Augusta Health staff.
At the end of the day on Saturday, a total of 10,289 vaccinations had been administered by Augusta Health since the start of vaccinations in December.
On Friday, 737 community members received their first doses of vaccine at the on-campus clinic. On Saturday, Augusta Health staff collaborated with CSHD to organize a pilot, community-based clinic at Gypsy Hill House Apartments in Staunton. A total of 84 vaccines were given to seniors with mobility challenges who live in that community.
Augusta Health is also expanding the infrastructure needed to increase community-wide vaccination efforts as soon as additional vaccine supply is released.
At the direction of the Central Shenandoah Health District, Augusta Health’s current Vaccine Clinics are focusing on healthcare workers who practice in Staunton, Augusta County and Waynesboro and community members aged 65 and above who live in Staunton, Augusta County and Waynesboro at this time.
Augusta Health staff is also assisting CSHD to vaccinate vulnerable populations through coordinating agencies. Each week, Augusta Health is receiving contact information from CSHD for those citizens who have completed the survey form on the CSHD website and meet current scheduling criteria.
If you are aged 65 and up and want to sign up for the COVID-19 vaccine, please visit bit.ly/cshdinfo .
Once there, you may complete the Request for Individual Vaccination Survey to be added to a queue to receive notification when a COVID-19 vaccine is available to you. Although completing the survey does not secure your appointment, you will be provided with information on how to register when available.
Essential workers and those who are aged 16-64 with certain health conditions will also find links to forms for their respective queues.
The need for vaccines still exceeds the amount of vaccine available from the state each week, so appointments are required for vaccination. Walk-in clinics are not currently scheduled. Augusta Health does not discard vaccine at the end of the day.
Vials, which contain five to six doses of vaccine, are only opened as they are needed.
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Chris Graham
