CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – On Friday, Iowa Department of Public Health officials clarified how they prioritize who gets the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 single-dose vaccine. This comes after our i9 investigation unit detailed the complaints of local public health officials asking the state to give these doses to vulnerable populations. This includes homeless people, in prison or immigrants.
Linn County’s e-mail to the state cited fairness for greater control over who gets that Johnson and Johnson vaccine. County health leaders say a one-dose vaccine is best used for people less likely to show up for a second meeting. They could be people who do not speak English, live in transitional housing, detainees or homeless people.
While the state allocates thousands of doses to counties for this purpose, 700 doses go to Linn County, but also offers thousands more to colleges and manufacturing companies. Public health in Linn County says it is much easier to arrange a second dose for these groups.
The county specifically indicated the 3,600 doses of Johnson and Johnson administered to Collins Aerospace employees. The county claims that it would be easy to give these employees 2 doses at the internal health clinic. I contacted the company today to find out more about why their employees would need the single-dose option compared to two-dose. They haven’t returned to us yet.
On Friday, leaders in the Iowa Department of Public Health clarified its goal is to vaccinate people quickly. He wants to get students who will go home first – then move to staff.
The state says Collins was part of the first wave of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine. It targeted food processors and production units that could not distance themselves socially.
At the same time, leaders with Willis Dady have told us they plan to work with Mercy officials to vaccinate homeless people in a few weeks using these Johnson and Johnson doses.
Copyright 2021 KCRG. All rights reserved.