COVID-19 Vaccinations Are Here
By Shelbe Bearstail
MHA Times Office Manager
COVID-19 vaccinations took place on Thursday, January 21st 2021 at the Northern lights building in New Town. This was Elbowoods’ first field clinic and one hundred vaccinations were administered. When you walk into the gymnasium there are three White tents set up and that is where you receive the vaccine. You will then walk around over to a designated wait area and sit for twenty minutes while under the supervision of emergency first responders, just to make sure that there are no side effects. Once twenty minutes has passed you are free to go.
Field Clinic Tents
Left to Right: Lucas Stroh -Paramedic New Town Ambulance, Lisa Valandra-AEMT New Town Ambulance, Nyamka Reese- Public Information Officer of Covid Task Force FEOC, Emily Sitting Bear- Director Emergency Operations Center(EOC)
Vaccinations are by appointment only and go tier to tier, by priority level. Nurses are working their way down the list with making phone calls and setting up these appointments. The reason for it being by appointment only is because the CDC mandates that the vaccines are used within a week. The number of appointments that are made in a day are based off of how many vaccines the state sends to Elbowoods. If for any reason you are scheduled for an appointment and something comes up, and you will not be able to make it. Please call Elbowoods and let them know, so that they can work on getting that vaccine to the next person on the list.
The highest risk is the Kidney Dialysis Unit (KDU) and that was their first priority, now they are onto elders fifty-five and over with underline health issues. The appointment schedule will be every day Monday through Friday. It is important that if you are interested in receiving a vaccine that you make sure your contact number is up to date with Elbowoods.
I (SB) asked Nyamka Reese (NR) (Public Information Officer for MHA COVID-19 Task Force) a few questions that I am sure some of you readers may be wondering:
(SB) How long is the Moderna vaccine effective?
(NR) It can last up to a year
(SB) Do I just need to get the vaccine once?
Rodney Davis -Four Bears just received his Covid Vaccine
Aggie Vondall-North segment just received her Covid Vaccine
(NR)It is recommended that you get two doses because just the one dose is not very effective. The first dose of the Moderna vaccine is only about 35-40% effective. Once the second dose is administered, the effectiveness jumps up to about 95%.
(SB) How long should a person wait before getting a second dose?
(NR)The second dose needs to be administered after twenty-eight days.
(SB) Is there a fee in order to get the Moderna vaccine?
(NR)No, there is no fee. So, no need to worry about an out-of-pocket fee or whether or not you have the insurance to cover it. It is paid for by the federal government.
(SB) Have you observed any adverse side effects?
(NR)No, the side effects I know of are some fatigue and soreness where the vaccine injection is. The public health recommendation is, to watch for symptoms. If there are any extreme side effects, call Elbowoods and let them know.
(SB) Is there any additional information that you would like to put out there?
(NR)The Emergency Operations Center and Task Force are establishing a call center at the emergency operation building (nursing home) and the soft opening will be on Monday January 25 2021. Everyone that needs to get registered will go through them, that will be the main spot. Once everything is ready to go, we will make sure to give out the numbers to call.
For further updated information visit the MHA Nation website and click on the Red tab on top of the page that says CORONAVIRUS INFORMATION.
Left to Right Back Row: Marilyn Yellow Bird PHN- RN, Brianna Foote LPN North Segment, Charley Conklin EMHC MaintenanceLeft to Right Front Row: Crystal Snow PHN-RN, Robyn Frueh Public Health Tech
