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Regular supply of vaccine returns

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Lenihan Intermediate School Vocal Music Teacher Sara McCue receives the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Marshall County is back on track with the COVID-19 vaccinations. Last week, the shipment was delayed due to the severe winter weather spread across the country.

Marshall County Public Health Nurse Pat Thompson said 500 doses arrived on Thursday, and larger volumes will be expected shortly.

“They told us we would start to get more in March,” she said.

How much more or when is unknown, but Thompson will have a meeting Friday at noon to get more information.

There have been 3,303 series of COVID-19 vaccinations initiated in Marshall County, as the vaccines require two doses. Of those, 1,904 have been completed, or both doses were administered. In Iowa, 603,415 residents have received doses.

“We are administering every dose we receive,” Thompson said. “We have to use them within a week of receiving them. One thousand of them were for health care workers and we are finishing up educators this week.”

When the shipments are received, the amount is split in half – 50 percent go to the eldest age group of the week and the rest go to the people in the tiers, such as educators or first responders. Thompson said Marshall County is still making its way through people who are in their 80s, but expects people in their 70s to begin soon, if they have not already.

She said health care providers – UnityPoint, McFarland and Primary Health Care – are going down their list of patients and calling people to let them know when they can come in for a vaccine. Thompson said right now, those are the primary locations people can get the vaccine.

“As we get more vaccines, that might change, there might be more places,” she said.

Throughout the state, 5,438 people have died from the virus. Marshall County has reported 72 deaths, up two from last week. Marshall County has also had 4,941 of Iowa’s 361,950 positive COVID-19 cases.

Long-term care facilities have 18 active outbreaks. In Marshall County, one facilities are still in outbreak status — Accura Healthcare of Marshalltown. IDPH shows Accura with 13 active cases.

Contact Lana Bradstream at 641-753-6611 or lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.

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