CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – On Friday, Iowa Department of Public Health officials explained how to prioritize who gets the single-dose Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. This comes after our i9 investigation unit detailed complaints from local public health officials to urge the state to give the doses to vulnerable populations. This includes people who are in jail or immigrants.
Linn County’s email to the state quoted stocks as wanting more control over who gets the Johnson and Johnson vaccine. County Health Leaders say a 1-dose vaccine is best used for people who are less likely to show up for a second appointment. These can be people who do not speak English, live in transitional housing, prisoners or homeless people.
While the state allocates thousands of doses to counties for the purpose, 700 doses going to Linn County, it also gives thousands more to colleges and manufacturing businesses. Linn County Public Health argues that it is much easier to arrange second doses for the groups.
The province specifically pointed to the 3,200 doses of Johnson and Johnson given to Collins Aerospace employees. The province argues that it will be easy to give employees 2 doses at their internal health clinic. We reached out to the company today to learn more about why their employees need the one dose option compared to two doses alone. They have not yet returned to us.
On Friday, leaders at the Iowa Department of Public Health explained that the goal is to vaccinate people quickly. It wants to get university students who are first on their way home and then go to staff.
The state says Collins was part of the first wave of vaccine Johnson and Johnson. It is aimed at food processors and manufacturing facilities that cannot reach social distance.
At the same time, leaders with Willis Dady told us that they plan to work with Mercy officials to vaccinate homeless people within a few weeks using the Johnson and Johnson dose.
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