Four weekly clinics planned; 2nd will be today

By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

Four weekly COVID-19 vaccination clinics are planned this month in Marion County, with the first scheduled today.

People in their 80s and older will get their vaccine at the food building at the county fairgrounds in Hillsboro, but must have an appointment.

“We have too many individuals, obviously, and not enough vaccine,” county health department administrator Diedre Serene said. “We are starting with the oldest first and working our way down. We are in the 80s.”

Today was the county’s second vaccination clinic. The health department expected to provide vaccinations for 180 people.

Vaccine clinics are planned for each Wednesday in February, Serene said. All clinics are by appointment only.

To get on the appointment list, people 65 and older are asked to call the health department at (620) 382-2550.

The county is in phase two of the state’s vaccination plan, which targets people 65 and older.

People are selected by age from lists compiled by clinics, hospitals, and the health department. Older people on the lists are scheduled first. All who were vaccinated called to say they wanted the shots.

Six patients are scheduled to be given vaccines every 10 minutes.

If someone 65 or older has not already gotten their name on a list, they should call the health department, Serene said.

Serene said several steps will be taken to make it easier to register for future vaccination clinics.

She plans to make registration forms available at clinics, grocery stores, the health department, senior centers, and perhaps libraries, post offices, and restaurants.