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Mahoning gets 3,075 vaccine doses

Doses of the COVID-19 vaccine are ready to be injected at Englewood Health in Englewood, N.J., Thursday, Jan. 14. Mahoning County is set to receive 3,075 vaccine doses next week for adults 80 and over.

YOUNGSTOWN — Mahoning County will get 3,075 first-dose COVID-19 vaccinations next week for residents who are at least 80 years old.

Ryan Tekac, county health commissioner, described it as a “limited quantity” and said “the vaccine is scarce.”

He urged people to be patient.

“We will work hard to make sure the vaccine is distributed quickly,” Tekac said Thursday.

He wants to have all 3,075 doses used by the end of next week even though some providers won’t be offering it until Thursday.

Tekac said he didn’t know how many county residents are at least 80 years of age.

He said he hopes additional vaccines will arrive during the week of Jan. 25, but didn’t know if that would occur or how many additional doses would arrive.

Two doses of the vaccines, given about four weeks apart, are needed.

There are about 420,000 Ohioans at least 80 years old, but only about 100,000 first-dose COVID-19 vaccinations are available. Those at least 80 years old make up 53 percent of the COVID-19 deaths in Ohio.

“Our goal is to get the vaccine out in a week,” added Dr. James Kravec, Mahoning County Public Health’s medical director and the chief clinical officer for Mercy Health-Youngstown, which is getting COVID-19 vaccines. “We hope to get more supplies every week. That’s the hope.”

The state vaccination schedule is starting Jan. 25 for those at least 75 years of age as well as those who are younger with severe congenital, developmental or early-onset medical disorders.

Mahoning County Public Health District will get 400 doses, Youngstown Health District will get 500, Mercy Health-Boardman will get 500, Mercy Health-Youngstown will get 975, Southwoods Health will get 200, and Giant Eagle will get 500 doses — with 100 each going to its two pharmacies in Boardman and one each in Austintown, Poland and Canfield.

The city district had 2,025 people over the age of 65 register on its website covid19.youngstownohio.gov as of Thursday afternoon, said Commissioner Erin Bishop.

Seventy percent of those who’ve registered live in the city and while Bishop said she’d prefer city residents to get the vaccine first, those who reside elsewhere in Mahoning County won’t be rejected. The city’s vaccination clinic at the Eugenia Atkinson Recreation Center, 903 Otis St., will begin Tuesday and run through Jan. 23.

dskolnick@tribtoday.com

HOW TO REGISTER FOR VACCINES

Pre-registration is required in Mahoning County for the first-dose COVID-19 vaccinations next week for residents who are at least 80 years old. Walk-ins won’t be taken at any location.

• Register for the vaccine through the Mahoning County Public Health district, starting at 9 a.m. today, at the district’s website at mahoninghealth.org or call 330-270-2855 option 9. The district will schedule appointments for next Thursday and Friday.

• For the Youngstown Health District, go online to covid19.youngstownohio.gov or call 330-502-4276.

• For Mercy Health, call 866-624-0366 to give your information to get on its list for the vaccination.

•Southwoods Health will have a phone line, 330-965-5099, that opens today at 8 a.m.

• Those wanting to go to Giant Eagle can call the five stores’ pharmacy phone numbers. The vaccinations at Giant Eagle pharmacies will start Wednesday.

Source: Mahoning County Health Department

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