Immediate Release                                                                  nsacquitne@winneshiekhealth.org

March 24, 2021

Weekly Joint Planning Team Vaccine update:

The partners want to remind all that the vaccine supply remains limited with only 300 doses being received in Winneshiek County weekly and this is shared by three partners (100 doses each).

The providers continue to be focused on vaccination of those 65 and older and aged 40-64 with any of the chronic health conditions listed below until April 5^th.

Donlon pharmacy will be holding their mass clinic this Saturday, March 27^th but you must have a scheduled appointment. No walk-ins allowed.

Winneshiek County Public Health (WCPH)

Call 563-382-4662 if you are:

• 65 years of age and older.
• 40-64 years of age with a chronic health condition.
• WCPH continues to vaccinate persons in the Tier groups of Phase 1b.

Winneshiek Medical Center (WMC)

We are currently receiving 100 prime (first dose) and 100 booster doses each week.

• People age 40+ with health conditions who want to receive the vaccine at Winneshiek Medical Center can call us at 563-382-2911 between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm Monday- Friday to be added to our vaccine waiting list.  As we receive vaccine supply from Iowa Department of Public Health, we will call people from this list to set up a vaccine appointment.
• This waiting list is for first dose vaccines only.  If you have received your first dose vaccine through WMC, we will call you to schedule the second dose.
• Note: If you are on our vaccine list, but in the meantime receive the vaccine from another facility, please notify us of this change by phone or MyChart so we can remove you from our list.
• Beginning Monday, April 5, we will start taking names for people ages 18+ to be added to our waiting list.  Call us at 563-382-2911 between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm Monday- Friday.
• WMC thanks the generous volunteers who have helped administer vaccines at our facility, and the community workgroup, led by Winneshiek County Public Health, that meets weekly to guide our county’s response.

Gundersen Health Systems

• All 100 doses that we were allocated through public health for this week have been administered.
• If you are a patient of Gundersen Decorah or Gundersen Calmar and you are over the age of 65 and still want the vaccine, please contact the clinic by calling 563-382-3140.
• For those under the age of 65 with conditions, invites started being sent out last week and into this week via MyChart and letter for those that meet the requirements.
• Appointments are very limited, especially at the Decorah Gundersen Clinic, with 100 doses currently allocated each week.  Make sure to look at all Gundersen locations for openings.

Donlon Pharmacy

• Donlon Pharmacy is hosting a COVID-19 vaccine clinic at Decorah Middle School on March 27th. This is an APPOINTMENT ONLY clinic; walk-ins will not be accepted.
• If you have scheduled an appointment, you may enter at either the main entrance or the bridge entrance off Jefferson street and follow the signage to check-in. Please do not arrive more than 10 minutes early to your appointment.
• Continue to check our website donlonrx.com, our Facebook page or call (563)382-3929 to hear an update on our COVID-19 vaccine schedule in weeks moving forward.

Walmart Pharmacy

• Partnering with state and federal agencies as we await allocations.
• Building a new digital scheduling tool to make appointments easy.
• Stay up to date on how Walmart and Sam’s Club are supporting the vaccine rollout, visit corporate website walmart.com/covidvaccine.
• Currently does not have any vaccine available.

Thrifty White Pharmacy

• Thrifty White Pharmacy’s website thriftywhite.com has the option to get notified of any appointment openings by clicking on the Join Our Notification Waiting List button.
• The patient needs to complete the required information and selects a pharmacy location where they would like to receive their vaccination, and then accepts authorization for Thrifty White Pharmacy to contact them.
• If a couple has a joint email address, only one of them can sign up on the Notification Wait List. Once they receive notification of available appointments, they will be able to schedule appointments for both people.
• Currently does not have any vaccine available.

Immediate Release                                                                 nsacquitne@winneshiekhealth.org

March 17, 2021

Weekly Joint Planning Team Vaccine update:

Due to continued limited vaccine distribution received in Winneshiek County, we continue to focus on the completion of the 65 year and older groups along with all the remaining Phase 1b Tier groups listed below.  Winneshiek County continues to receive 300 first time doses a week.

On Monday, March 22 through April 5, 2021 we will open vaccine distribution to persons aged 40-64 years with chronic health conditions identified below.

Winneshiek County Public Health (WCPH)

• Call 563-382-4662, if you are age 65 years and older to have your name added to our list.
• If you are age 40-64 years of age with chronic health conditions without a primary medical provider or pharmacy, call 563-382-4662.
• WCPH is working on completing the different Phase 1b Tiers listed below.

Winneshiek Medical Center (WMC)

We are currently receiving 100 prime (first dose) and 100 booster doses each week.

• People age 65+ who want to receive the vaccine at Winneshiek Medical Center can call us at 563-382-2911 between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm Monday- Friday to be added to our vaccine waiting list. As we receive vaccine supply from Iowa Department of Public Health, we will call people from this list to set up a vaccine appointment.
• This waiting list is for first dose vaccines only. If you have received your first dose vaccine through WMC, we will call you to schedule the second dose.
• Note: If you are on our vaccine list, but in the meantime receive the vaccine from another facility, please notify us of this change by phone or MyChart so we can remove you from our list.
• Beginning Monday, March 22, we will start taking names for people ages 40+ to be added to our waiting list. Call us at 563-382-2911 between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm Monday- Friday.

Gundersen Health Systems

• All 100 doses of vaccine that we received this week have been administered.
• We did not receive any booster vaccine, so all patients who were originally scheduled for a booster vaccine this week have been cancelled.  We will reschedule when we receive more booster vaccine.
• Gundersen Health System is now starting to open the scheduling system to patients 64 and under with conditions.  Those notification are slowly starting to go out through MyChart and via letter.
• Due to very limited supply of doses per week here in the Decorah clinic, availability will be very low as we are still trying to schedule people over 65.

Donlon Pharmacy

Mass Vaccination Clinic Information Below

March 27, 2021 – 1^st Dose

April 17, 2021 – 2^nd Dose

• Donlon Pharmacy will be receiving a shipment of the Pfizer vaccine and is planning a community COVID-19 vaccination clinic on Saturday March 27, 2021 at the Decorah Middle School.
• Patients must be available to also receive their 2^nd dose on April 17, 2021.
• This clinic will be on an appointment-only basis. No walk-ins are allowed.
• A scheduling link will be shared on com. Refer to times below for when the schedule will be unlocked and open for use. Patients who are unable to schedule online may call (563) 382-3929 AFTER the times outlined below. No appointment requests will be accepted before these times. Please be patient with staff as many calls will be coming into the pharmacy.

Appointment Times

• Friday March 19, 2021 at 10:00 AM: Appointments will be available to patients age 65 and older.
• Tuesday March 23, 2021 at 10:00 AM: Remaining appointments will be opened to patients age 16-64 with one of the 20 underlying medical conditions outlined by the Iowa Department of Public Health and the CDC (see below).

Walmart Pharmacy

• Partnering with state and federal agencies as we await allocations.
• Building a new digital scheduling tool to make appointments easy.
• Stay up to date on how Walmart and Sam’s Club are supporting the vaccine rollout, visit corporate website walmart.com/covidvaccine.
• Currently does not have any vaccine available.

Thrifty White Pharmacy

• Thrifty White Pharmacy’s website thriftywhite.com has the option to get notified of any appointment openings by clicking on the Join Our Notification Waiting List button.
• The patient needs to complete the required information and selects a pharmacy location where they would like to receive their vaccination, and then accepts authorization for Thrifty White Pharmacy to contact them.
• If a couple has a joint email address, only one of them can sign up on the Notification Wait List. Once they receive notification of available appointments, they will be able to schedule appointments for both people.
• Currently does not have any vaccine available.

IDPH and CDC Guidelines for Persons Eligible to Receive a COVID-19 Vaccination:

Phase 1b Tiers

Tier 1

1st Responders

PK-12 school staff, early childhood education, and childcare workers

Tier 2

Food, agriculture, distribution and manufacturing workers who work in or live in congregate settings that do not allow for social distancing

Individuals with disabilities living in home settings and their direct care staff

Tier 3

Staff of and individuals living in congregate settings (does not include college dormitories)

Government officials to ensure continuity of government including staff, engaged in state business at the Iowa Capitol during the legislative session

Tier 4

Inspectors responsible for hospital, long-term care, and child safety

Tier 5

Correctional facility staff and individuals incarcerated

𝗣𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝟭𝗯 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱

*Persons 16-64 years old with chronic health conditions are eligible to receive the vaccine. These conditions are:

• Cancer
• Chronic kidney disease
• COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
• Down Syndrome
• Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies
• Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant
• Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg/m2 or higher but < 40 kg/m2)
• Severe Obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2)
• Pregnancy
• Sickle cell disease
• Smoking
• Type 2 diabetes mellitus
• Asthma (moderate-to-severe)
• Cerebrovascular disease (affects blood vessels and blood supply to the brain)
• Cystic fibrosis
• Hypertension or high blood pressure
• Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids, or use of other immune weakening medicines
• Neurologic conditions, such as dementia
• Liver disease
• Overweight (BMI > 25 kg/m2, but < 30 kg/m2)
• Pulmonary fibrosis (having damaged or scarred lung tissues)
• Thalassemia (a type of blood disorder)
• Type 1 diabetes mellitus

Immediate Release                                                                  nsacquitne@winneshiekhealth.org

March 10, 2021

Weekly Vaccine update:

Weekly Joint Winneshiek County Covid Planning Team

Winneshiek County Health Partners have announced that on Monday, March 22, 2021, people between 40 and 64 years old with chronic health conditions will be able to receive the vaccine as available.

This will allow us to work on completion of Phase 1B age group and tiers. Reminder that ONLY 300 doses per week have been coming to Winneshiek County plus 100 doses to a local pharmacy, this remains a slow process.

While you may be eligible for vaccine, we may not have vaccine available for you.

Your continued patience and cooperation are greatly appreciated.

Winneshiek County Public Health (WCPH)

• If you are 65 years and older and have not been contacted by your providers, please contact Winneshiek County Public Health at 563-382-4662 to be put on a list.
• WCPH is continuing to work on the tier groups of Phase 1B as well.

Winneshiek Medical Center (WMC)

• Please call Winneshiek Medical Center to get on a vaccine waiting list. They will no longer reach out to you.
• New Process: People age 65+ who want to receive the vaccine at Winneshiek Medical Center can call WMC at 563-382-2911 between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm Monday- Friday to be added to their vaccine waiting list.
• As vaccine supply from Iowa Department of Public Health is received, WMC will call people from this list to set up a vaccine appointment. This waiting list is for first dose vaccines only.

Gundersen Health Systems

• All 100 doses of the vaccine that we received this week have been administered.  We are still currently vaccinating patients over the age of 65.
• All patients over the age of 65, have been notified via MyChart or will be receiving a letter notifying them that they can self-schedule through MyChart at any Gundersen location that has openings.
• If you click on a location and no scheduling options are available, it means that all slots are currently filled. We encourage you to look at all location options available.  As vaccine arrives, more slots are opened.
• If you do not have MyChart, you will receive a letter notifying you of next steps.

Donlon Pharmacy

• Donlon Pharmacy continues to receive COVID-19 vaccines through the Federal Retail Pharmacy program and our partnership with Community Pharmacy Enhanced Services Network (CPESN).
• As more doses arrive, Donlon Pharmacy will continue to randomly contact patients age 65 and older who have received a prescription from the pharmacy in the last year to schedule an appointment.
• Please be patient and do not contact the pharmacy to request an appointment. Once all patients in our database have been contacted, we will open appointments to the general public age 65 and older.
• To stay up to date on our current COVID-19 vaccine status check our website, Facebook page, or call (563) 382-3929 to listen to a recorded message.

Walmart Pharmacy

• Partnering with state and federal agencies as we await allocations.
• Building a new digital scheduling tool to make appointments easy.
• Stay up to date on how Walmart and Sam’s Club are supporting the vaccine rollout, visit corporate website walmart.com/covidvaccine.
• Currently does not have any vaccine available.

Thrifty White Pharmacy

• Thrifty White Pharmacy’s website www.thriftywhite.com has the option to get notified of any appointment openings by clicking on the Join Our Notification Waiting List button.
• The patient needs to complete the required information and selects a pharmacy location where they would like to receive their vaccination, and then accepts authorization for Thrifty White Pharmacy to contact them.
• If a couple has a joint email address, only one of them can sign up on the Notification Wait List. Once they receive notification of available appointments, they will be able to schedule appointments for both people.
• Currently does not have any vaccine available.

1. Vaccine
   1. Counties/entities shoold have received vaccine last week
   2. Janssen product by Johnson & Johnson has been approved
   3. Iowa will receive 25,000 doses currently being earmarked for 17 counties with large manufacturing
   4. Anticipated allocations to Iowa: 31,590 doses of Pfizer; 30,400 doses of Moderna; 25,600 doses of Janssen. Of those numbers, local public health allocations: 23,400 Pfizer; 30,400 Moderna; 25,600 Janssen.
2. Vaccination Plans
   1. IDPH plans to continue with the February allocation amounts thru mid-March.
   2. Governor’s office commented that administration of vaccine was down the past 2 weeks—reminder: there was 1 week in which NO vaccine was shipped (hard to give what you don’t have) and states/counties are having to play “catch up” this past week into this week.
   3. Completing a survey for those groups in Tier 2. Based on entities, numbers, logistics and safety in Phase 1b, Tier 2 having to consider all options in getting vaccine into arms.
3. Numbers
   1. 30 new cases last week
   2. According to coronavirus.iowa.gov: 4300 Winneshiek County residents vaccinated==21.6%
4. Messaging
   1. Continue to upload weekly press releases (sent out on Wednesdays) to county webpage
   2. Vaccinate.iowa.gov
   3. VaccineFinder.org

Immediate Release                                                                  nsacquitne@winneshiekhealth.org

March 3, 2021

Weekly update on Covid-19 planning:

Covid-19 vaccine is being delivered to Winneshiek County allowing vaccinations to resume.

Winneshiek County Public Health (WCPH)

• Winneshiek County continues to receive 300 doses per week which is shared with our partners, Gundersen Clinic and Winneshiek Medical Center.
• Continues to review vaccine eligibility for Phase 1B Tier 2 groups per IDPH guidelines.
• Only those residents who DO NOT have a primary physician or pharmacy in Winneshiek County should call WCPH at 563-382-4662.

Winneshiek Medical Center (WMC)

• Winneshiek Medical Center continues to receive COVID-19 vaccine from Iowa Department of Public Health.
• You will be called by WMC staff when the vaccine is available for you, with instructions on the process and location of the vaccine.  If we do not reach you by phone, we will leave a message with callback instructions.  If we do not hear from you, you will not lose your opportunity to receive the vaccine.  We will continue to call until we reach you.
• Patients who receive family medicine care at Winneshiek Medical Center with a Mayo Clinic Health System physician or advanced practice provider (nurse practitioner or physician assistant) will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at WMC.
• WMC will determine the order/timeline of vaccine distribution by following a standard COVID-19 risk score, based on information in the patient’s health record.

Gundersen Health System

• Gundersen administered all 100 doses plus, due to extra doses in some of the vials that was allocated to them.
• Gundersen Health System will continue to contact their patients via phone as they work through their priority list.

Donlon Pharmacy

• Donlon Pharmacy continues to receive COVID-19 vaccines through the Federal Retail Pharmacy program and our partnership with Community Pharmacy Enhanced Services Network (CPESN).
• As more doses arrive, Donlon Pharmacy will continue to randomly contact patients age 65 and older who have received a prescription from the pharmacy in the last year to schedule an appointment.
• Please be patient and do not contact the pharmacy to request an appointment.
• Donlon Pharmacy received a shipment of 100 Moderna doses on 3/25/21 and all doses have been administered. A total of 218 COVID-19 vaccines have been administered to date.

Walmart Pharmacy

• Partnering with state and federal agencies as we await allocations.
• Building a new digital scheduling tool to make appointments easy.
• Stay up to date on how Walmart and Sam’s Club are supporting the vaccine rollout, visit corporate website www.walmart.com/covidvaccine.
• Currently does not have any vaccine available.

Thrifty White Pharmacy

• Thrifty White Pharmacy’s website www.thriftywhite.com has the option to get notified of any appointment openings by clicking on the Join Our Notification Waiting List button.
• The patient needs to complete the required information and selects a pharmacy location where they would like to receive their vaccination, and then accepts authorization for Thrifty White Pharmacy to contact them.
• If a couple has a joint email address, only one of them can sign up on the Notification Wait List. Once they receive notification of available appointments, they will be able to schedule appointments for both people.
• Currently does not have any vaccine available.