On Monday, Summit County received its largest number of vaccine doses yet from the state. While it is still likely months away from offering a vaccine to all county residents, the county revised its timeline for vaccinating older residents. (Tanzi Propst/Park Record)
Summit County received 900 doses of COVID-19 vaccine from the state on Monday, more than double its typical weekly allotment and its largest shipment to date, but officials indicated that the vaccine supply could skyrocket as soon as April when there could be three or four times that number delivered weekly.
“My hope is that in three or four or five weeks, 900 doesn’t seem that big,” Health Director Rich Bullough told the Summit County Board of Health on Monday. “But right now, that 900 is a big number for us.”
Summit County continues to receive less vaccine than it can distribute. Health Director Rich Bullough, pictured with Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson during a vaccine site tour Friday, said that 1/3 of the doses administered so far have gone to non-county residents.
Tanzi Propst/Park Record
Some Summit County staffers sported jackets and neckties when Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson arrived on Friday for a tour of Summit County’s vaccine clinic, one that officials have said can deliver three times the number of doses it receives from the state each week.
After the tour, Summit County Health Director Rich Bullough said local health departments have seen modestly larger vaccine shipments from the state in recent weeks, but revealed some challenges have hit Summit County particularly hard.
Courtesy of Summit County
The Summit County Health Department has begun to receive doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and is stepping up its campaign to inoculate residents even as it prepares to confront shortfalls of supply and reluctance by some to receive the shots.
Health Director Rich Bullough said Tuesday the county was nearly finished inoculating those who would administer the vaccine to others, and was working toward vaccinating health care providers like private practice physicians not associated with a hospital group.
The county is working through that first group and expects to move on to first responders and teachers next, followed by residents who are 75 and older.
Credit People s Health Clinic
The Medical Reserve Corps in Summit County is seeking volunteers to help administer the COVID-19 vaccine. Help is needed from people both with and without medical certifications.
As the COVID-19 vaccine program continues in Utah, more staff will be needed in order to ensure a smooth process once the state receives more and more doses from the Federal Government.
The Medical Reserve Corps is not a new organization and is a list of volunteers who are willing to step up and help when they are needed. The COVID-19 pandemic is no exception.
Derek Moss is the Nursing Director for Summit County and says all types of medical professionals are wanted.
The Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce has announced the ten winners of this yearâs Distinguished Under 40 Award. The award honors young professionals under the age of 40 years old âwho have gone above and beyond to accomplish great things in their careers, community, and education,â according to the Chamber. All recipients are from eastern Idaho. The organization has been honoring young people with this award for more than 20 years.
âItâs an amazing award that the Chamber of Commerce gave me. I know my boss is the one who nominated me, and it just feels really good that he recognizes all the hard work that Iâm doing,â said Beth Swenson, award recipient and librarian at the Idaho Falls Public Library.