Marshall County is continuing to focus on residents age 65 and older for receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

There are still more than 5,500 seniors eligible for the vaccine in Marshall County.

A plan is being formulated on how to incorporate people younger than 65 with pre-existing conditions since the state opened vaccine eligibility to those people on Monday.

Including that demographic will add roughly 8,600 people to the eligibility list.

Dr. Ken Lyons, chair of the Marshall County Board of Health, said on Tuesday the vaccine effort for health care workers and long-term facility staff and residents has been completed. Almost finished are vaccinations for first responders, educators and child care workers. The county is moving on to vaccinating people with disabilities living at home who require in-home care and people who work or live in congregate settings, such as manufacturing.

The state distributed 1,300 doses of the newer Johnson and Johnson vaccine to JBS. It is estimated there may be 2,000 additional essential workers in the county who would qualify for the vaccine.

Marshall County residents can obtain a vaccine through Hy-Vee, as the grocery chain receives vaccines from federal and state sources. Vaccine schedules can be made at Hy-Vee.com.

“As one can see the demand for vaccines in Marshall County greatly exceeds the amount we can give since we are receiving only about 500 doses weekly,” Lyons said. “We sincerely wish we could give the vaccine to whoever wants it but at this time that is not feasible so people will need to continue to be patient as we work through this. We are hopeful the supply of the vaccine is going to increase in the next month or two.”