VIDEO: DHHS talks vaccination plans for Nebraska seniors
Above is a recording of the live event that has since ended.
LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) holds the first of a series of Facebook Lives addressing the state’s vaccine distribution.
DHHS Incident Commander Angela Ling and Lifespan Health Services Administrator Sara Morgan will specifically be discussing vaccination plans for seniors ages 75+ in Nebraska.
DHHS reports about 108,000 vaccine doses have been distributed across the state, nearly 50% of which have been administered.
Of those, nearly 35,000 of Nebraska’s doses have been given directly to the Federal Pharmacy Program, which nearly 400 long-term care facilities are signed up for, to vaccinate residents and staff in long-term care facilities.
So, when can seniors sign up to get vaccinated?
Ling says areas across the state are moving at different paces and asks residents to be patient. Some areas in western Nebraska are already prepared to administer the vaccines for phase 1B very soon, but others, likely more populated areas, will be prepared in the next two to three weeks.
DHHS plans to publish more information on the Pharmacy Program within the next 10 days. In the meantime, health officials encourage seniors to check with their local health departments to learn more about your area’s vaccination timeline.
Many health departments will allow seniors to “register” for the vaccination. Once the vaccine is available, these individuals will be called to set up an appointment.
In about two weeks, a specific registration website and hotline will be established to schedule your vaccination, said Ling.
The process of vaccinating the nearly 130,000 Nebraska seniors outside long term care facilities will take time. Along with the state’s registration that has yet to open, Ling says people 75 and older have two additional options on how to get vaccinated in the coming weeks: events hosted by your local health department or through your own healthcare.
