Photo from the CDC

When the next phase of COVID-19 vaccinations begin across Iowa Monday, first responders, school staff and everyone 65 and older will be eligible to receive a vaccination–given vaccine availability. Marion County Public Health Director Kim Dorn says this will be a phased approach, and the availability of vaccine will dictate the timeline.

“Everything depends on how much vaccine we get allocated from the state. Our plan is that the first group will be specialty groups, first responders, child welfare workers, etc. will come to the health department. Once we have sufficient vaccine, we’ll be allocating it out to the hospitals, clinics, pharmacies. We’ll do some open pods, self dispensing. That’s the route we’re going to take in the Pella area, working with the hospital, and we’ll say ‘On this day, we’re going to do 65 and over.’ So that’s how that will roll out.”

Dorn says that the first responders, childcare workers, and school staff will be prioritized before everyone 65 and older can receive the vaccine. There are five tiers in Phase 1B, and timelines are largely unknown, depending on how much vaccine is available. Phase 1A is still in effect, which allows frontline healthcare workers to be vaccinated.