Interest In COVID Vaccine On Decline In County

It wasn’t too long ago that Mills County Public Health had 1,500 people on its wait list for the COVID-19 vaccine.

That’s not the case anymore.

In fact, there’s now more vaccine available in the county than people who want it.

“It gets kind of problematic. We have way more vaccine than arms to put it in right now,” MCPH Administrator Julie Lynes said Monday. “For a long time, we had a vaccine shortage order and I can tell you now we have no waiting list. We don’t have the vaccine hotline anymore because we don’t have a waiting list.”

Last week, for the first time, Lynes said MCPH cancelled its weekly allotment of 200 doses of the Moderna vaccine that it’s been receiving since January because there was already enough vaccine available in Mills County to handle the demand.

“We’re not seeing a lot of individuals interested in getting it,” Lynes said. “We have tried offering vaccines at a variety of times. We did a Friday evening clinic, a Saturday morning clinic and continue every week to have a clinic scheduled.
“Now that we’ve gotten through those high-priority populations, we’re really more open. Really, anyone who wants a vaccine can get it. There is far more vaccine available to us than to people to give it to.”

This week’s MCPH vaccination clinic will be Thursday from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the former Shopko store in Glenwood. Vaccinations are also being given by appointment at Hy-Vee Pharmacy in Glenwood and Kohll’s Pharmacy in Malvern.
Lynes and her staff are continuing to encourage Mills County residents to get vaccinated. She said efforts are being focused on individuals who are “hesitant” or just holding off on getting the vaccine until a later date instead of those who are adamantly opposed to getting the shot.

Lynes encourages individuals with concerns or questions about the vaccine to speak with their personal healthcare provider or to call the MCPH office at 712-527-9699.
As of Tuesday morning, 8,832 doses of vaccine had been administered in Mills County with 3,882 county residents now fully vaccinated.

In Iowa, persons age 18 and older are eligible to get either the two-dose Moderna or Pfizer vaccine or the one dose Johnson & Johnson. Individuals ages 16 and 17 can receive the Pfizer vaccine.