The Iowa Governor’s Office announced beginning Monday, April 5, 2021 all Iowans will be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Depending on the vaccine manufacturer, individuals age 16 or older could be eligible. Pfizer is currently approved for use in those age 16 and older; while Moderna and Johnson & Johnson are approved for those over age 18. Previously eligible groups, including those over age 65 and those with high-risk health conditions, will remain vaccine eligible. To assist in creating a streamlined and efficient process for community members and vaccine providers, Clayton County will have a centralized phone number and wait list to assist individuals in signing up and providers in filling appointments as they become available. Any individual who would like to receive a vaccine may call: Clayton County Vaccine Wait List Line: (563) 245-2064 You will be asked to leave your name, phone number, and date of birth on the voicemail. Information given will be placed on the county wait list, and individuals will be contacted by vaccine providers to schedule as doses and appointments become available. If there is a high-volume of callers, you may get a busy signal; please try back at another time. County residents should know that they will not receive a call back after leaving a message until a vaccine is available for them. As individuals get contacted to schedule vaccine appointments, we encourage them to take whichever vaccine is available at the time regardless of manufacturer. The county does not have control of the number of doses or manufacturer of vaccine that is made available to providers. Please be patient; while we anticipate increasing supplies, it may take time to get an appointment scheduled. For additional information on COVID-19 vaccines, please visit the CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/index.html

Clayton County COVID-19 Vaccine Update On Thursday, 3/4/2021, the Iowa Department of Public Health announced that those individuals under age 65 with certain underlying health conditions would be vaccine eligible beginning Monday, 3/8. Qualifying medical conditions for those under 65 include: Cancer Chronic kidney disease COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) Down Syndrome Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant Obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg/m2 or higher but < 40 kg/m2) Severe Obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2) Pregnancy Sickle cell disease Smoking Type 2 diabetes mellitus Full listing and information on qualifying medical conditions can be found at the CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html. Clayton County vaccine providers will continue to prioritize those age 65 and older and those who qualify under Phase 1B tier groups as set forth by the Iowa Department of Public Health. We ask for anyone who is newly eligible due to underlying medical conditions and under age 65 to have patience as we complete these two previously eligible groups. We anticipate increased vaccine doses in the coming weeks and will work with our local partners to make them available as quickly as possible. As we work through this transition, individuals age 65 or older can continue to call one of the below numbers to place their name on a vaccine list to be contacted as doses are available: Guttenberg Hospital and Clinics: Individuals may call (563) 252-5571 and leave a message with their contact information. MercyOne Elkader Medical Center: Individuals may call (563) 245-7089 and leave a message with their contact information. Regional Family Health-Strawberry Point: Individuals may call (563) 927-7575 or visit org/covidvaccinewaitlist Individuals age 64 and under with qualifying underlying conditions can visit one of the below pharmacy sites to place their name on a vaccine wait list to be contacted as doses become available: Hartig Drug Guttenberg: hartigdrug.com Guttenberg Pharmacy: https://www.nightingaledrug.com/ Clayton Drug: (563) 933-4762 or (563) 245-2530 Again, we appreciate your patience as we work through this transition period. Updates on vaccine availability and county wait list options will be provided as it becomes available. For additional information on COVID-19 vaccines, please visit the CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/index.html

The Clayton County Board of Health would like to take this opportunity to remind the residents, towns and businesses of our county, of the importance of continuing its efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19. These continued efforts to protect the community from illness includes the following measures: Continue to wear masks when around others who do not live with you. Continue to be mindful of and respect social distancing Continue to limit persons participating in events and gatherings to ensure social distancing. Avoid attending events or gatherings that do not implement social distancing measures whether you are at risk or not. Avoid poorly ventilated spaces with others. Continue to wash your hands often and cover your cough. We recommend businesses continue with mitigation efforts. As we continue to navigate the future of COVID-19 we are encouraged by the availability of vaccines. Even after vaccination, the recommendations for masks, washing hands and social distancing will continue. Along with the state, we will continue to diligently monitor case numbers, positivity rate and deaths. This data is monitored daily and will eventually lead to a time when mitigation efforts will be adjusted.