WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – Sedgwick County leaders have announced that everyone in Phase 2 of the state vaccine launch plan can now schedule meetings to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in Sedgwick County.
The county said it was receiving a steady amount of the vaccine and opened a second mega-vaccination clinic by Saturday (March 13) at Central Community Church in West Maple.
In addition to residents aged 65 and over, those eligible to receive a vaccine in phase 2 of the launch plan include essential and close contact workers in several industries.
Sedgwick County had already offered COVID-19 vaccines to Phase 2 groups, including aviation, public safety, packaging and transportation workers. Now the clergy, higher education, postal services, meeting places and retail are able to get the shot. It also includes another large group of workers.
“Employees in grocery stores and food services. So we know it’s going to be a very big category and it’s about people from high-contact work environments, so we’re excited to be able to give them vaccines, “said Tim Kaufman, deputy director of Sedgwick County.
The move for Sedgwick County comes as Kansas focuses more on removing vaccines at state population centers in Sedgwick and Johnson counties, to move through Phase 2. More vaccinators and assistance from the National Guard in increasing vaccination capacity allow Sedgwick County will operate two mass vaccination sites in addition to the main site of the old library in downtown Wichita.
The vaccine is available the rest of the week at Central Community Church and next week at the Sedgwick County Extension Office (K-State Research and Extension – Sedgwick County).
“It now gives us a capacity closer to 4,000 photos a day instead of the 2,200, 2,300 we received at the library,” said Tom Stolz, Sedgwick County Director.
The county is looking at several mobile clinics, but leaders say their main message to phase 2 employers is to direct their employees to the county’s mass vaccination locations.
“The efficiency is at these maximum vaccination sites, so we would ask our business partners to let their employees come down and get vaccinated,” Stolz said.
The hope is that progress will allow phase 3 to start faster. This includes people with underlying health conditions who do not fall into phase 2 with their jobs or age.
The COVID-19 vaccine clinics of the Sedgwick County Department of Health are open Monday through Saturday.
| Location | Category |
|---|---|
| The former library 223 S. Main, Wichita |
Critical workers and residents over the age of 65 who are mobile |
| Central Community Church 6100 W Maple, Wichita, KS |
Dose 1 Critical workers and residents over the age of 65 who are mobile |
| Drive-Thru Clinic, Wichita Transit Operations Center 777 E. Waterman, Wichita |
Residents over the age of 65 who are not mobile |
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