Phase1b tiers focus for next round of COVID-19 vaccines

More than 184,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Nebraska to Phase 1A individuals, according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. 

Phase1A includes individuals in healthcare, followed by residents of long-term health care facilities and staff.

Administration of the required second dose, which is 28 days from the first dose, is now beginning on those individuals.

As a result, the state and public health districts are shifting their focus to start first dose vaccinations for people in the Phase1B tiers. 

Phase 1B priority groups include those 65 and older, those 18 and older who are at high-risk for severe COVID-19, and those working in critical industries who are unable to work remotely. 

These include first responders, educators and daycare providers, those in the utilities and transportation sectors, corrections staff, and those working in food processing and at grocery stores.

Local health departments are coordinating vaccination for Phase 1 priority groups.

Perkins County Sheriff Jim Brueggeman, who also serves as county emergency manager, takes part in weekly calls with the Southwest Nebraska Public Health District in McCook.

He said SWNPHD serves as the distribution point for area. He said they are allocating the vaccine doses to the hospitals in the district on a per capita basis to keep distribution on an equal basis. 

He said Perkins County Health Services will receive another 100 doses this week. 

People wanting to receive the vaccine need to sign up at swhealth.ne.gov or the state signup site vaccinate.ne.gov.

Hilton said more than 4,000 people have already signed up at the SWNPHD site. The state site has already received more than 100,000 registrations.  

Beginning with this shipment of vaccine, Hilton said SWNPHD has already identified the 100 people eligible to receive the vaccine in this latest distribution.  

As of Sunday, nearly 48,250 Nebraskans have completed both rounds of vaccination, which represents 3.25% of Nebraskans aged 16 or older.

This week, Nebraska is scheduled to receive 27,200 first doses, including 11,700 Pfizer doses and 15,500 Moderna doses. Second doses shipments scheduled for this week total 22,900, including 11,700 Pfizer doses and 11,200 Moderna doses.

PCHS has already begun to administer the second doses to staff. 

For more information, the DHHS COVID-19 hotline is available to help answer questions on COVID-19 or vaccination by calling 531-249-1873 or 833-998-2275.

The line is staffed daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. MT. Call volumes may be high and patience is appreciated.