COVID-19 vaccination clinics held in Saline County
The Salina Journal
COVID-19 Moderna vaccines will be administered from noon to 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 13 at the National Guard,2929 Scanlan Rd., for those who walked in during the initial National Guard clinic.
This site will also be offering Kansas Department of Health and Environment free COVID-19 testing, generating results in 1-2 days. The Central Kansas Mental Health Center will have information on their mission to provide mental health services, education, and integrated care to the Salina community, and free fresh produce courtesy of local grocers will be available for all attendees.
8 SALINA, Kan. – The auditorium at the Kansas Army National Guard’s regional training institute in Salina buzzed with activity April 15 as the Salina Family Healthcare Center’s COVID-19 vaccination clinic prepared to open its doors.
“The organization reached out to us to see if the Kansas Army National Guard would have facilities to support a Salina community COVID-19 vaccination clinic, and we did,” said Maj. Michael Billings, Kansas Training Center battalion executive officer. “We still have Kansas Army National Guard training here, but we were able to de-conflict and work everything out for them to use our auditorium and hopefully get some more people access to the COVID vaccine.”
Saline County vaccination clinics canceled
The Saline County vaccination clinics that was to use the one-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines in Gypsum, Assaria, and Brookville on Tuesday, April 13 has been canceled.
The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are recommending the U.S. pause on using the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine after reports of blood clots in individuals who received the vaccine. Out of an abundance of caution, we will be cancelling today’s vaccination clinics at Gypsum, Assaria, and Brookville, said Hayley Samford Marketing & Community Outreach Coordinator for Salina Family Healthcare Center.
Nothing dramatic was reported by the front-line medical workers who received the COVID-19 vaccine earlier this month in Saline County.
“I had a very mild sore arm for about 24 hours,” said Dr. Robert Kraft, CEO and chief medical officer at Salina Family Healthcare Center. “It was much less painful or symptomatic than the flu shot I get every year.
A similar sentiment was echoed by Dr. Rob Freelove, chief medical officer at Salina Regional Health Center.
“My arm was sore for a couple of days,” he said.
SRHC has been closely monitoring side effects of the 938 people who were immunized “in the first go-round,” he said. “Most common side effect has been tenderness or arm soreness. Some had redness, and there were some complaints about body aches and headaches, and we have had some report fevers.”
Hope for Saline County arrived before Christmas, in liquid form, containing the potion to immunize humans from COVID-19.
The long-awaited vaccines have finally begun trickling into Kansas, and as of Tuesday afternoon, 938 people in Salina had received the first of two injections that aim to stem the tide of the global pandemic.
Early on, the distribution process has been a nightmare for officials on the front lines in Saline County. Half a year of more misery may follow before the vaccines are available to the general public.
Meanwhile, local officials say, the pipeline of vaccine and information is loaded with rough tributaries.