Residents age 80 and older can self-register for a vaccine appointment starting at 8:00 AM CST on Friday, January 8th by going to ourshot.in.gov. (Please Note: The registration website will NOT go live until 8:00 AM CST On Friday, January 8th.) A friend or family member may also can make an appointment on behalf of a qualifying individual. But the person registered will be required to provide photo identification in person before they will be given the COVID-19 immunization.
If you want to make your reservation by phone, call 2-1-1- beginning Friday, January 8th at 9:00 am. Call Centers will make your appointment. Their hours are 8am – 8pm daily including weekends. Residents age 80 and older who do not have internet access or are unable to register online can call 2-1-1 for an appointment and/or secure transportation starting at 8:00 AM CST on Friday, January 8th. Again, a friend or family member also can make an appointment on behalf of a qualifying individual but, the person registered will be required to provide photo identification in person before they will be given the vaccine.
According to the State of Indiana website, vaccines will be available in 55 hospitals and 91 County Health Departments. So far the hospitals authorized to submit vaccines in the three counties in Northwest Indiana are outlined below.
Lake County:
Methodist in Gary and Merrillville,
Community Hospital in Munster,
Franciscan in Hammond, Crown Point
Total County Vaccines Administered as of Jan 7th: 7,002
LaPorte County:
Franciscan Michigan City
Total County Vaccines Administered as of Jan 7th: 1,248
Porter County:
Total County Vaccines Administered as of Jan 7th: 2,746
* Porter County Just posted their Vaccination Schedule – click here for that info.
The Indiana Department of Health is supposed to notify eligible individuals directly, via an employer, or by public announcement. If you have not heard from your employer, you are to contact them immediately. Each County Health Department is supposed to have its own vaccination site.
WHO GETS THE VACCINE?
In case you’re wondering who gets the vaccine, the CDC has set forth guidelines determining the vaccine schedule. The schedule is outlined as follows:
Phase 1A — Long-term Care Facilities, First Responders, Law Enforcement, Healthcare Providers, Healthcare Facilities, Healthcare Facilities, Aged 80 and over (see above)
Phase 1B — Corrections officers, food and agricultural workers, postal workers, manufacturing workers, grocery store employees, public transit workers, teachers, day care workers and others in the educational sector, and those 75 and older at high risk of hospitalization or death would follow.
Phase 1C — aged 65-74 at high risk from severe illness, aged 18-64 with chronic conditions, and essential workers including others in transportation and logistics, construction and finance, IT, communications, energy, law, media, public safety and public health would follow at a later date.
The State of Indiana just launched a new website for vaccine information https://www.coronavirus.in.gov/vaccine/index.htm, where new information will be posted as more vaccine becomes available. According to the State of Indiana website, there are no hospitals in Porter County are Administering the vaccine.
Thanks to Sue Baxter of www.PanoramaNow.com for this portion of the story.
COVID-19 vaccine has arrived in Indiana
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) allowing shipments of COVID-19 vaccine to be sent to Indiana and other states.
Any Hoosier age 80 and older, first responders (fire, law enforcement, emergency medical services, reservists and volunteers) who have in-person contact with the public, and licensed and unlicensed healthcare workers who have in-person contact with patients or infectious material in any healthcare setting are now eligible to schedule a vaccination appointment. Eligible professionals should receive an invitation and registration link from their employer, professional association, or the State of Indiana (Indiana Department of Health, Professional Licensing Agency, Family & Social Services Administration, Department of Homeland Security, or another state agency).
Please be patient, as vaccine supply is limited. If you are a licensed healthcare provider, make sure your email is updated with the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency and continue to check your email and SPAM. If you are eligible and haven’t received an invitation, please ask your employer.
If you have difficulty registering online or if you know someone eligible to get vaccinated who doesn’t have access to a computer, please dial 211 from any phone to register.
Who is eligible to receive vaccine?
If you answer yes to any of these questions, you are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine:
- Are you age 80 or older?
- Do you work or volunteer in healthcare and have (physical or close) contact or face to face interactions with patients? Examples include:
- Inpatient, outpatient, provider office setting, nursing homes, residential care facilities, assisted living facilities, in-home services
- This includes all clinical and non-clinical positions: clinicians, dietary, environmental services, administrators who have direct contact with patients, clergy who see patients in the healthcare setting, non-clinicians who assist in procedures, transportation staff, etc.
- This also includes local health department staff who interact with patients at test sites, health clinics or provide direct patient care
- Do you have exposure to COVID-19 infectious material? (Examples include cleaning of rooms or material from COVID-19 patients, performing COVID-19 testing, other exposure to infected tissue, performing autopsies or other post-mortem examinations of COVID-19 patients)
Click here for a list of who is eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The timeline for additional phases of vaccine administration is yet to be determined. Check back here frequently for updates.
Received the vaccine? Make sure you’re on the v-safe after vaccination health checker.