Vaccination in full swing

Staff report

 Greene County Public Health Director Becky Wolf is calling the county’s first mass vaccination clinic on March 31 a “huge success.”

Community partners and local health care staff administered 1,170 doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in just 6½ hours at Wild Rose Casino. Wolf said those who attended were through the door and vaccinated between three and 13 minutes.

Those who attended will receive their second dose of the vaccine at Wild Rose on April 21.

As of Tuesday, 4,910 Greene County residents have received at least one dose of vaccine, with 22 percent of local residents now fully vaccinated. Among residents 65 and older, 62 percent are now fully vaccinated.

Wolf said this week that local clinics and pharmacies all now have doses on hand, finally enabling vaccination efforts to ramp up.

Locally, vaccinations are being offered at the Hy-Vee Pharmacy (515-386-4151); Medicap (515-386-2164); Greene County Public Health (515-386-0564); and Greene County Family Medicine Clinic (515-386-0500). McFarland Clinic-Jefferson is contacting patients individually to schedule appointments.

The vaccination campaign is getting into full swing just as many public health guidelines lapse.

Greene County Schools on Tuesday moved back to “yellow” on its mask matrix, meaning that masks are required only when social distancing isn’t possible. Masks, however, continue to be required on buses.

As of Tuesday, the county’s 14-day virus positivity rate stood at 3.4 percent, according to Wolf.

Ten local deaths have been attributed to COVID-19 since the pandemic began.