Washington County Public Health Director of Nursing Karri Fisher with the Moderna vaccine.

Washington County received its first shipment of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday.

County Public Health Administrator Danielle Pettit-Majewski announces that they have initially received 600 doses of the vaccine, which will be prioritized to people most vulnerable to the virus and those in critical industries, as defined by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and Infectious Disease Advisory Committee. The priority populations in Phase 1A will include long-term care residents, long-term care workers and healthcare workers with direct patient care.

As more vaccine becomes available the priority groups will open up to allow additional groups and individuals to be vaccinated. Phase 1B will include essential frontline workers and those 75 years of age and older. Phase 1C is anticipated to include essential workers, those aged 65-74 years old, and those 16-74 years old with high-risk medical conditions. Pettit-Majewski says that by mid-2021, enough COVID-19 vaccine should be available for anyone who wants to receive it. The public health department has worked with the Iowa Department of Public Health, state and regional partners for the last several months to offer a COVID-19 vaccine to residents of the county once available.