Mono County Public Health Provides Update On Vaccine Prioritization And Distribution

January 11, 2021 – Safe and effective COVID-19 (Coronavirus) vaccines will be essential tools to end the global pandemic. Mono County will follow all federal and state guidance for prioritizing persons to be vaccinated, and in partnership with Mammoth Hospital, will be transparent, strategic, and equitable in its vaccine distribution.

“COVID-19 vaccines authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have been shown to be safe and effective in clinical trials,” stated Dr. Tom Boo, Mono County Public Health Officer. “I highly encourage everyone in Mono County to get vaccinated as soon as it is available to you. I really hope to see the elderly and others at higher risk getting vaccinated in the very near future. I hope this proves to be the way out of this horrible pandemic.”

Vaccinate Mono Questionnaire: Pre-Register Today!
Mono County Public Health is encouraging Mono County residents to pre-register to be vaccinated by completing the online, confidential Vaccine Questionnaire (https://webapps.mono.ca.gov/covid19/vaccinate-mono-form/). COVID-19 vaccines are entirely voluntary, and free for Mono County residents. The questionnaire will assist Mono County Public Health prioritize COVID-19 immunizations per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and California Department of Public Health (CDPH) guidelines.

Vaccinations are underway, however, it will take some time before the vaccine is readily available to everyone in Mono County who wants one. While public health experts learn more about the protection vaccines provide, it’s important to continue using all proven health measures available to us to help slow the transmission of this deadly virus, including wearing masks, washing hands, staying 6 feet apart, and not gathering indoors with those outside of your immediate household unit.

To date, Mono County and Mammoth Hospital have received a combined 969 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, with more doses expected to arrive in the near future. Over 300 Mammoth Hospital employees and medical personnel who elected to receive the vaccination have been inoculated with their first dose. Mammoth Hospital will not be immunizing the general public at this time, only some of the people identified in Phase 1B. All COVID-19 vaccinations will be conducted by the Mono County Public Health Department.

“Mammoth Hospital is committed to supporting Mono County Public Health by vaccinating some of the people identified in Phase 1B – Tier One (individuals 75 years of age and older) using the limited amount of vaccines remaining from the hospital’s Phase 1A allocation,” said Tom Parker, Mammoth Hospital CEO. “In the spirit of cooperation, Mammoth Hospital will also be providing staff to support vaccination efforts by Public Health.”

Mono County Public Health is completing vaccinations for prioritized frontline heath care workers, (Phase 1) including paramedics, Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT’s), public health field staff, laboratory workers, dental and other oral health clinics, and pharmacy staff and moving into the first tier of Phase 1B.

Phase 1b Tier 1 includes people aged 75 years and older and those at risk of exposure at work in the following sectors: education, childcare, emergency services (non-medical first responders: law enforcement and fire), and food and agriculture (grocery store, restaurant workers, and farm workers). If you meet the criteria (age or occupation) for Phase 1B – Tier One, and are interested in receiving the vaccine, you are asked to complete the Vaccinate Mono Questionnaire. At the appointed time, you will be contacted by Mono County Public Health asking you to register for your vaccination appointment.

“Mono County is fortunate to have Mammoth Hospital as a partner to help us immunize our county residents in this unprecedented time of immense community need,” stated Bryan Wheeler, Mono County Public Health Director. “As a small county, we have the opportunity to meticulously move through vaccine phases and tiers reaching community immunity that will get us that much closer to ending the pandemic.”

New Vaccinate Mono Website:

To inform Mono County residents of the safety, efficacy, and equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine, please visit the new Vaccinate Mono website: https://coronavirus.monocounty.ca.gov/pages/vaccinations or click on the Vaccinations graphic on the homepage of the Mono County COVID-19 Portal. The website has updated Mono County COVID-19 vaccination information, community resources, a vaccine dashboard, immunization schedule, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), informative videos and more.

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