SALYERSVILLE – The state has switched gears, again, with COVID-19 vaccines moving out of local health departments and area hospitals taking over the distribution.
Magoffin County Public Health Director and Salyersville Mayor James “Pete” Shepherd told the Independent that after the Magoffin County Health Department distributes the second doses for the people they have already vaccinated and inoculates the school system employees that have chosen to take the vaccine, they will no longer be giving out vaccinations.
Shepherd said it is his understanding that the state wants to give the vaccine in fewer places, but in locations where they can give bigger quantities.
That means that the more than 500 people that are currently on the waiting list at the health department will need to contact another provider to get an appointment to be vaccinated.
Within this region, those providers include Paul B. Hall Medical Center, Highlands ARH, Pikeville Medical Center, Kings Daughters in Ashland, ARH West Liberty and Saint Claire Regional Medical Center in Morehead.
Right now, people 70 years old and over can sign up for a vaccine. As it stands now, Shepherd said the next group will be 60 and over, and then it will be opened to the general public, but all of that is subject to change at any time.
Shepherd said the health department will call the people scheduled to receive a second dose from them a day before their appointment.
On Sunday, January 17, the process began in vaccinating the residents and staff at Salyersville Nursing Home.
To date, 843 people have tested positive for COVID-19, with 24 people isolated at press time and one person hospitalized.
Shepherd said Magoffin is averaging around three new cases a day, which still keeps the county in the red, but he hopes they’re seeing a decline that will drop Magoffin back into the orange, at least.
Currently, all but three Kentucky counties are in the red category, meaning that the average daily cases are 25 or more cases per 100,000 population, based on the previous seven days.
Magoffin County Schools announced last Thursday that they will remain all virtual instruction until February 1, and the Magoffin County Board of Education announced the following after their January 21 meeting:
