TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – The Coffey County Department of Health is preparing to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine before the end of this month for Phase 2 of the state plan; none of their 4 nurses will actually administer it.
In a call with 13 News on Wednesday (January 13), Health Department administrator Lindsay Payer said she and her staff did not feel comfortable giving the vaccine. Instead, the district health department will contract with at least one outside nurse to give the vaccine and possibly other providers. They will use COVID funds to cover it. Payer says these are personal decisions made individually and not without much reflection.
“I will tell you that our staff must contract outside our staff to give the vaccine because my staff is not comfortable with it,” Payer told commissioners at their January 4 meeting. “It’s a new technology. We’ve never seen it before. It was first studied in 45 people before it was approved, and the companies that made the vaccine do not have to do … all liability is away from them. So, if there is something bad about the vaccine, it does not go back to them. It’s well known, and it’s a little uncomfortable for a nurse to put it in people’s bodies. So we will find nurses who are willing to do that. I’m not. My staff is not yet at the moment. ”
However, it is clear that the district’s medical officer, Dr Jeff Sloyer, does not share the health department’s concerns. At last Monday’s meeting of the digging commission (January 11), he told commissioners:
“Both of these vaccines have been very well studied,” Solyer commissioners assured. “The Pfizer one had more than 40,000 people in their trial, and the Moderna one had 30,000 people in their trial, so I think that’s good.” Sloyer told commissioners the January 6 meeting caused a great deal of confusion and reaction on social media.
As of January 8, the weekly update of Coffey County had 27 active COVID cases – 12 new cases and 16 relapses.
In a telephone conversation Wednesday morning (January 13), Payer told 13 News that it was a personal decision of each staff member and that it was not intended to send any message – against or against the vaccination. She insists they do not want to be an obstacle for anyone getting the vaccine, and continues to draw up a plan to ensure that all Coffey County residents who want to be vaccinated during Phase 2 can do so. . Members aged 65 and over will finally be able to get the COVID vaccine, probably by the end of this month. The health department has launched a waiting list – one that has grown to more than 200 people in a few short days from Monday’s commission meeting. Payer says they have spoken to the Coffey Health System, which indicates they are willing to help the health department to give the vaccine. In addition, Payer says that local pharmacies, such as the health department in the province, have also applied to KDHE to give the vaccine. She believes there will be no shortage of places or opportunities for Coffey County residents to get the vaccine.
Payer points out that it is not uncommon for district health departments to contract with outside providers for services such as vaccinations. She told 13 News that it was “not new, not unexpected” and that they “have a choice as licensed professionals” to decide if they want to administer a vaccine.
“Health departments across the state are considered vaccination experts,” Payer said in the 13 news call. ‘We know the length of time it takes to develop a good vaccine, and the study involved. We did not take this decision lightly. We made this decision using the information we have. We want to maintain our integrity. Nurses are known to be the most reliable profession, and we want to maintain that trust. We want the public to make the best decision for them. ”
This past Monday, dr. Sloyer told commissioners that the health department had worked very hard on the public vaccination plan. They have submitted their application to the Department of Health and Environment in Kansas to receive the COVID vaccine and maintain an enrollment list for residents. Because of possible liability, the Department of Health will require those who receive the vaccine to sign a waiver. Dr Solyer told commissioners they would receive the Moderna vaccine. Because patients need to be monitored for a short time after vaccination, Coffey County will institute the vaccinations for their public vaccinations. While noting that reactions to the vaccine were very rare, they took Epipens and Benadryl with EMS.
At last week’s meeting (January 4), Payer told commissioners that COVID is now part of our everyday lives and compares it to the cold and flu.
“I think it’s safe to say that COVID is now endemic in our community,” Payer said. “We know it’s here to stay. We know it can not be controlled. It’s a virus. You can not stop a virus. We still do everything we can, but that’s what it’s. It’s just going to be part of what we have to deal with now. As a community, we probably have to make decisions about what this means, and how much more resources we are going to offer in this regard. Knowing it’s here, it’s like the cold or flu. This is normal now. That’s just what it’s. ”
We have Dr. Jeff Sloyer, the county’s administrative assistant, and also a KDHE spokesman contacted Coffey County for comment on this story.
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