Story County Public Health COVID-19 Vaccine Update:

Next Phase Groups Announced by IDPH; Persons 65 and older included

Jan. 25, 2021

The Iowa Department of Public Health has announced priority populations for the next phase (1B) of COVID-19 vaccinations. 

The 1B phase vaccinations are slated to being Feb. 1. The extent of vaccinations in Story County will be determined by availability of vaccine.

Here are the priority groups:

Persons aged 65 years and over. OR, the following populations vulnerable to high risk of exposure or severity of illness (listed in order of priority): 

Tier 1

  • First responders (e.g., firefighters, police officers, and child welfare social workers)
  • PK-12 school staff, early childhood education, and childcare workers (Story County has prioritized childcare centers with more than 10 children.)

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 

IDPH Infographic for Vaccine Distribution to Priority Populations Phase 1B

People 65 and older can seek vaccines from McFarland Clinic, Story County Medical Center, UnityPoint Huxley and NESCO Family Medical Clinic. It is recommended that you check these organizations websites to determine how they plan to administer the vaccine.

  • Story County Medical Center has posted information about its plans for the next phase of COVID-19 vaccinations (1B) at www.storymedical.org.   

Story County Public Health will provide vaccine for the tiered groups.

The ability of these locations to provide vaccines will depend on the allocation of vaccine Story County receives. The tentative plan is to distribute 50 percent of the county’s weekly doses to the clinics, and 50 percent to Story County Public Health. 

Some area pharmacies will also provide vaccines for these groups, as well, depending on availability of vaccine.

Additional Resources

What you need to know about mRNA COVID-19 vaccines [PDF]

For information about the vaccine, including its effectiveness and safety, please refer to:

Centers for Disease Control - https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/index.html

Iowa Department of Public Health - https://idph.iowa.gov/Emerging-Health-Issues/Novel-Coronavirus/Vaccine

McFarland Clinic is sending updates to people who sign up for them. To sign up for the McFarland Clinic update, go to https://www.mcfarlandclinic.com/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine