Pandemic scramble now includes vaccine appointments

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began a year ago, people have been scrambling for various items at different times.

Over the past year, they have scrambled for masks, personal protective equipment (PPE), cleaning supplies, sanitization equipment and even toilet paper.

Since the first COVID-19 vaccine received emergency use authorization - Pfizer on Dec. 11 - and two subsequent vaccines were approved - Moderna on Dec. 18 and Johnson & Johnson on Feb. 27 - people have been scrambling to get their shots.

The state of Iowa has been using a tiered method to set vaccine priorities, with health care workers and people living in nursing homes being first in line, then people age 65 and older, first responders, teachers, police and firefighters.

In the first week of March, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced that vaccine eligibility would be opened up to people under age 65 who have certain health conditions that make them more susceptible to COVID-19.

Washington County Public Health Director Danielle Pettit-Majewski said that means about a million more Iowans became eligible to receive a vaccine - about a third of the state's population.

She said that poses an additional challenge for counties.

'Through the end of March, we're not getting any additional vaccines,” Pettit-Majewski said. 'Washington County Public Health gets 300 doses each week.”

While someone may be eligible to get a vaccine, getting an appointment to be vaccinated is proving more difficult.

'It's been hell for people,” Jefferson County Public Health Director Chris Estle said. 'Things keep changing and will keep changing.”

Jefferson County Public Health is receiving 300 doses each week.

Pettit-Majewski said that county health departments share their vaccine doses with local health care facilities, stretching their vaccine resources thin.

'I suggest people look for other resources,” she said. 'It's going to be hard to get one from us.”

Estle explained that retail pharmacies, like Walgreens, CVS and Hy-Vee, get vaccines directly from the federal government through the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program.

Pettit-Majewski said that the county health department are kept out of the loop with the retail pharmacies.

'They're not communicating with us what they're getting,” she said.

Hy-Vee, CVS and Walgreens have all set up online portals where people can sign up for available vaccine appointments.

That has proved difficult because the appointments fill up almost as soon as they are opened.

To address that, an Iowa City man created a Twitter account, @IAVaccineAlerts, that uses an algorithm that sends out alerts as soon as appointments open on the pharmacy websites, making it easier for people to make an appointment as soon as they are available.

But for people without internet access or who are not social media savvy, the alerts are not much help.

'There are a lot of people who don't have access to social media or internet,” Estle said.

She said that her department has been working to target those people, as well as others in rural areas who may not be able to get to a retail pharmacy.

'We are working in smaller towns in Jefferson County,” Estle said, saying they are planning clinics in Batavia, Libertyville and Packwood.

The state has opened its Iowa 211 service for people over age 65 trying to find a vaccine appointment.

People can call 211, and an operator will assist them in finding an available appointment in their area.

Pettit-Majewski suggested that people call pharmacies, including small local pharmacies, to be put on a waiting list.

'A lot of people have called to be put on lists,” she said.

Compounding the vaccine shortage is the state's decision to allocate its entire first shipment of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for workers in agriculture, manufacturing and food distribution facilities, as well as people in congregate living settings.

While the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines require two shots, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is a single-shot vaccine.

'In a factory setting, getting one and done is much easier,” Estle said.

In the first week of March, workers at Tyson in Columbus Junction were among 13,000 Tyson employees who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

The Columbus Junction plant, which employs about 1,400 people, was hit particularly hard by the pandemic with 522 positive cases and two deaths last year.

Pettit-Majewski said that there are about 500 people in Washington County who meet that criteria.

'We have pork producers who bring workers from other areas in live in congregate settings,” Pettit-Majewski said, adding that counties are not able to order any more Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses until March 25 at the earliest.

Despite demand far outpacing supply, progress is being made.

'I feel a lot better than I did a few weeks ago,” Estle said.