Reynolds says new vaccine information website launches Friday
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Updated: 6:25 PM CST Feb 25, 2021
Reynolds says new vaccine information website launches Friday
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Updated: 6:25 PM CST Feb 25, 2021
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>> KCCI 8 NEWS AT 6:00 STARTS RIGHT NOW. STEVE: GOOD EVENING, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. GOVERNOR REYNOLDS SAYS IOWANS WILL HAVE ACCESS TO JOHNSON AND JOHNSON’S NEW COVID VACCINE AS SOON AS NEXT WEEK. STACEY: NEW AT 6 KCCI’S TODD MAGEL ASKED A PHARMACIST HOW THIS VACCINE IS DIFFERENT. HE’S LIVE IN ANKENY WHERE PHARMACIES ARE BUSY GIVING OUT THE VACCINE. TODD: THE GOVERNOR JUST ANNOUNCED TODAY, THIS MORNING SHE LEARNED WE WILL BE GETTING A SHIPMENT OF 25,000 DOSES OF THE NEW JOHNSON AND JOHNSON VACCIN AND THAT COULD BE A GAME CHANGER. GOV. REYNOLDS: WE ARE FINALLY ABLE TO ANSWER THE QUESTION THAT SO MANY IOWANS ARE ASKING, WHEN IS IT MY TURN? TODD GOVERNOR REYNOLDS SAYS IT’S : TIME TO BEGIN EXPANDING THE CATEGORY OF IOWANS ELIGIBLE FOR COVID 19 VACCINES. THE NEW JOHNSON AND JOHNSON VACCINE WILL HELP THE PROCESS. IT’S DIFFERENT THAN THE FIRST TWO, PFIZER AND MODERNA, BECAUSE IT’S JUST ONE DOSE AND IT’S EASIER TO STORE. >> I JUST WANT TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THOUGH THE OVERALL EFFICACY MIGHT BE REPORTED LOWER, IT’S HIGHLY EFFECTIVE AT PREVENTING SERIOUS DISEASE. IT’S BEEN SHOWN TO KEEP PEOPLE OUT OF THE HOSPITAL AND KEEP THEM FROM DYING. THAT IS OUR MAIN GOAL. TODD: REYNOLDS ANNOUNCED THE NEXT PHASE 1B TIER OF COVID VACCINATIONS SHOULD BEGIN NEXT MONTH. TIER TWO INCLUDES FRONTLINE ESSENTIAL WORKERS IN FOOD, AGRICULTURE AND MANUFACTURING SETTINGS WHO CAN’T SOCIAL DISTANCE. IT ALSO INCLUDES PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES LIVING IN HOME SETTINGS AND THEIR DIRECT CARE STAFF. GOV. REYNOLDS: NEWS OF ANOTHER VACCINE BECOMING AVAILABLE AND WEEKLY ALLOCATIONS CONTINUING TO INCREASE MEANS THAT SOON EVEN MORE PEOPLE CAN BE VACCINATED ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND RIGHT HERE AT HOME. TODD: A REMINDER, THE GOVERNOR SAYS EVEN THOUGH WE ARE GETTING ANOTHER COVID-19 DRUG, A MEMBER THERE ISN’T ENOUGH TO VACCINATE EVERYBODY SO EVERYBODY STILL NEEDS TO BE PATIENT. TODD MAGEL, KCCI 8 NEWS, IOWA’S NEWS LEADER. STEVE: THOUSAND OF IOWANS ELIGIBLE TO GET THE CORONAVIRUS VACCINE ARE HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING VACCINATION APPOINTMENTS. ESPECIALLY OLDER IOWAN RHEYA SPIGNER IS HERE WITH HELP. RHEYA: MANY OLDER IOWANS ARE HAVING TROUBLE NAVAGATING THE VARIOUS CLINIC WEBSITES TO TRY AND FIND ONE THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO SIGN UP FOR A SHOT. STARTING MARCH 8 THE 211 CALL CENTER WILL ADD VACCINE NAVIGATORS. THE NAVIGATORS WILL ASSIST IOWANS 65 AND OLDER WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO USE THE ONLINE SYSTEMS MANY CLINICS USE >> WE GET PERMISSION TO SHAR THAT INDIVIDUAL’S CONTACT INFORMATION WITH SCHEDULING ENTITIES FOR A VACCINATION OR 211 AS WE MOVE FORWARD. RHEYA: SOME OF THOSE NAVIGATORS WILL START REACHING OUT TOMORROW TO CONTACT SOME OLDER IOWANS. THOSE IOWANS HAVE ALREADY TRIED TO SEEK OUT HELP FROM OTHER ELDERLY AFFAIRS GROUPS. STEVE: THE STATE IS LAUNCHING A NEW VACCINATION INFORMATION WEBSITE TOMORROW GOVERNOR REYNOLDS SAYS VACCINATE.IOWA.GOV WILL PROVIDE ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE VACCINATION PROCESS. THE WEBSITE WILL ALSO HELP CONNECT IOWANS WITH VACCINE PROVIDERS IN THEIR AREA. BUT YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT THROUGH THE WEBSITE. IT IS GOING ONLINE ONE WEEK AFTER GOVERNOR REYNOLDS SCRAPPED A VACCINATION WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT DEAL WITH MICROS