Shelby County Preparing for COVID-19 Vaccinations for Phase 1B Group

Wilson Health, the Sidney-Shelby County Health Department and the Shelby County Emergency Management Agency are working together to meet the need for vaccinating individuals for COVID-19 who qualify in the Phase 1B group.

The Phase 1B group is determined by the Ohio Department of Health and includes:

• Individuals 65 years of age and older;
• Those living with severe congenital, developmental, or early onset medical disorders

“Wilson Health’s Vaccination and Administration Committee has been working closely with our local health department and community partners, to confirm we are in alignment with best practice and state requirements to ensure the most efficient and effective vaccination strategy possible,” said Dr. Robert McDevitt, Chief Medical Officer at Wilson Health.

Here’s what we know about the COVID-19 vaccine rollout for the Phase 1B group of Ohioans. The below schedule was announced by Governor DeWine on January 7, 2021:

• Starting January 19^th – Ohioans 80 and older
• Starting January 25^th – Ohioans 75 and older; people with severe medical conditions
• Starting February 1^st – Ohioans 70 and older; K-12 staff and Personnel
• Starting February 8^th - Ohioans 65 and older

It is not confirmed how many doses Shelby County will be receiving for the Phase 1B group. The Sidney-Shelby County Health Dept. and Wilson Health are working together and will administer the vaccine to those eligible individuals as the vaccine doses are received.

If you are interested in receiving the vaccine and meet the criteria for the Phase 1B category, the first step is to sign-up to receive notifications of vaccine availability. You can Sign-Up HERE. Once the vaccine becomes available, individuals will be contacted via the information they provided through the online sign-up (phone, email, or text message) to schedule their vaccine appointment. 

Please note the Sidney-Shelby County Health Department and Wilson Health are receiving limited quantities of vaccine at this time; therefore, large community-based vaccine clinics will not run at this time. New information will be shared as it becomes available.

“Since we have limited vaccine doses in these early stages, it is important to continue using all the resources we have available to help prevent the spread of the virus,” said Cheri Drinkwine, Director of Shelby County Emergency Management Agency. “Wearing a mask, social distancing and washing your hands are preventive measures that will reduce your risk of exposure or spreading the virus. These measures, paired with the vaccine, will provide the best protection from COVID-19.”

This round of vaccination is not open to the general public, please do not contact your medical provider to schedule an appointment at this time.

“We know having vaccine is an exciting milestone in working to end this pandemic, but we ask for patience as we work through the Phased priority groups,” said Steven Tostrick, Health Commissioner for the Sidney-Shelby County Health Department. “We will continue to share information with the public through local news media, social media platforms and our websites.”