Southern Seven Health Department issued the following announcement on Jan. 20.
Southern Seven Health Department (S7HD) is now entering Phase 1B of the COVID-19 vaccination schedule, opening vaccines to a wider group of individuals living within the S7 region. S7HD covers Alexander, Hardin, Johnson, Massac, Pope, Pulaski, and Union counties.
Phase 1B of the COVID-19 vaccination program includes people 65-years of age and older along with essential workers. Examples of essential workers include the following:
• First responders (Firefighters, Police, EMS, etc.)
• Teachers (including support staff and daycare)
• Food & Agriculture
• Public transit workers
• Grocery store employees
• Transportation & logistics
• Utilities (energy, IT & communication, water, wastewater, etc.)
COVID-19 vaccines are still in very limited supplies. As we are notified of how many vaccines will be delivered to us each week, S7HD will call and schedule appointments for vaccination clinics throughout our seven counties. Appointments will be scheduled utilizing the information submitted to our vaccine registry.
Southern Seven Health Department (S7HD) is inviting anyone in the S7 counties who is interested in getting a COVID-19 vaccine to add their name to the health department’s COVID-19 Vaccine Registry. A link to the online contact list has been posted on S7’s Facebook page and on their website at 
www.southern7.org . The registry can also be visited directly with the following link:
https://form.jotform.com/203635536921153
“Our phone systems have been overwhelmed with people wanting to get their names added to our registry for the COVID-19 vaccine,” said Nathan Ryder, Outreach Coordinator for Southern Seven’s Contact Tracing program. “If you are interested in getting vaccinated and have access to the internet, we ask that you please register online. This will help keep the phone lines open for folks who don’t have access to the internet or may not be as technologically savvy to get added to our registry. If you know of someone who doesn’t have access to the internet, we ask that you offer a minute or two of your time to enter their information into the registry for them.”
“It’s important to note that this is not a reservation form, a vaccination appointment, or a ‘wait list’,” said Ryder. “It is simply a way for us to maintain a list of contacts so we can keep people notified of the different vaccination phases as we move through them. We will also continue to update vaccination opportunities on our social media channels like Facebook and Twitter in addition to our print, radio, and TV news outlets in the region.”
Based on current guidance from Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), S7HD expects to receive a weekly shipment of vaccine. These vaccines will be distributed throughout the seven counties based on guidance from IDPH and the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC).
Previously COVID-19 vaccinations were being provided to frontline healthcare workers and residents of long-term care facilities under Phase 1A of the CDC’s COVID-19 Vaccination Program. If you are a member of the Phase 1A group and missed your first opportunity to get vaccinated, please add your name to the registry so we can keep you notified of upcoming vaccination opportunities. Phase 1 is characterized by having access to a limited amount of COVID-19 vaccine. It is anticipated we will be in Phase 1 until the end of spring.
There is no charge for receiving a COVID-19 vaccine from S7HD. However, some other providers may charge an administrative fee for the injection. If you have health insurance, the vaccine provider will bill your insurance company for this administrative fee. If you are uninsured, you will not be charged for the administrative fee.
For questions regarding COVID-19, contact Southern Seven Health Department at 618-634-2297 or visit them on Facebook and online at www.southern7.org
Original source can be found here.
Source: Southern Seven Health Department
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