Sioux County Colleges and University to Receive COVID-19 Vaccine

In Sioux County, the Local Public Health Agency, Community Health Partners, continues to work collaboratively with the four Area Health Systems, Promise Community Health Center and Sioux County Emergency Management to distribute and administer COVID-19 vaccine.

On Wednesday, March 31, Community Health Partners received notice that Sioux County will be one of the first counties in Iowa to receive an allocation of Johnson and Johnson vaccine for colleges and universities.  Sioux County will be allocated 1200 doses of Johnson and Johnson vaccine to be administered to staff and students at Dordt University, Northwestern College and Northwest Iowa Community College.

The Sioux County Emergency Preparedness Coalition met on March, March 31 to develop plans for the three campuses. Orange City Area Health System plans to administer the Johnson and Johnson vaccine to staff and students at Northwest Iowa Community College and Northwestern College the week of April 5.  Sioux Center Health will administer the Johnson and Johnson vaccine to staff and students at Dordt University the same week.

“This is an exciting time for Sioux County as Dordt, Northwestern and NCC approach graduation and their students will return to their home communities.  All of our higher education institutions have worked diligently to keep their staff and students safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.  The vaccine provides one more opportunity to protect those staff and students,” says Kim Westerholm, Director of Community Health Services.

As of April 5 all adults in Iowa will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

You can sign up for the vaccine at your local health system or at Hy-Vee using the links listed on http://www.siouxcovid.org/.

If you need help signing up please call your local health system or Community Health Partners.

All Adults in Sioux County Can Sign Up for Vaccination

All adults in Sioux County can now sign up for a COVID-19 vaccination. Beginning April 5, as doses become available, all adults in Iowa will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
You can sign up for the vaccine at your local health system or at Hy-Vee using the links listed on www.siouxcovid.org.

If you need help signing up please call your local health system or Community Health Partners.
For questions or additional information, contact:

Community Health Partners of Sioux County
Phone – 712.737.2971 or 1.800.435.3454
Email – [email protected]
Website – www.siouxcountychp.org

Iowans with Underlying Conditions Eligible for COVID-19 Vaccine

Effective March 8, the Iowa Department of Public Health and Sioux County have expanded COVID-19 vaccine priority groups to include individuals 64 years of age and younger with medical conditions that are or may be at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19.  For a full list of medical conditions visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html.

Others eligible to receive the vaccine at this time include:

  • Individuals age 65 and older
  • PK-12 staff & teachers and childcare workers
  • First responders

If you are in any of the above listed priority groups you can sign up for the vaccine at your local health system or at Hy-Vee using the links listed on siouxcovid.org.

If you need help signing up please call your local health system or Community Health Partners.

Because vaccine production has not fully met the demand for vaccine, Iowans will need to remain patient until supply increases.

It’s critical to continue practicing the mitigation measures that can slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Vaccinated Iowans should continue these precautions as we are still learning whether getting a vaccine will prevent you from spreading the virus that causes COVID-19 to other people, even if you don’t get sick yourself.

  • Wear a mask or face covering
  • Practice social distancing with those outside your household
  • Clean your hands frequently with soap and water
  • Stay home if you feel sick
  • Get tested if you are exposed to, or have symptoms of COVID-19
  • Get a COVID-19 vaccine when you are eligible

 

Continue to check siouxcovid.org for vaccine updates and for additional vaccine eligibility information.

Sioux County Vaccination Effort Gets a Boost

In Sioux County, the Local Public Health Agency, Community Health Partners, is working collaboratively with the four Area Health Systems and Promise Community Health Center to distribute and administer COVID-19 vaccine.

On Thursday, February 25, Community Health Partners received notice that Sioux County was selected as 1 of the 17 counties eligible to receive an allocation of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine for use in phase 1b, tier 2 populations which include workers in food, agriculture, distribution, and manufacturing sectors who live or work in settings that made social distancing difficult.

The Sioux County Emergency Preparedness Coalition held an emergency meeting on Friday, February 26 to align efforts to administer the 900 doses of vaccine to eligible employees, in addition to the efforts underway targeting individuals 65 and older, by the end of the week of March 5, as directed by IDPH.

Community Health Partners and health system employees worked with major employers and have plans in place to hold vaccination clinics this week with most clinics taking place March 3 – 5.

“The collaborative effort between public health, emergency management and all health care systems and the willingness of staff to do whatever needs to get done during the pandemic has been remarkable, and this is another illustration of that.”   Kim Westerholm, Director of Community Health Services.

The vaccines will be given on site to employees at the following locations:

Agropur
Center Fresh
Formosa Foods
Perdue
Premium Iowa Pork
SIG
Smithfield Orange City
Smithfield Sioux Center

Sioux County is following the Iowa Department of Public Health orders for COVID-19 vaccine administration and is administering vaccine to priority groups as it becomes available. This week Sioux County has expanded vaccine priority groups to include Childcare and PK-12 Teachers and School Staff in addition to individuals age 65 and older.

If you are 65+ or a teacher or on staff at a PK-12 school, sign-up at your local health system or at Hy-Vee using links listed on www.siouxcovid.org.

If you need help signing up please call your local health system or public health.

As more vaccine becomes available, the priority groups will continue to expand. Vaccine updates will be shared via media releases (newspaper, radio, and social media), health system websites and social media, and will be posted to www.siouxcovid.org.

Sioux County COVID-19 Vaccine Update

Sioux County is following the Iowa Department of Public Health recommendations for COVID-19 vaccine administration.

Vaccine is currently not available to the general public.  As more vaccine  becomes available, additional groups will be eligible to receive the vaccine.

What phase are we in? 

Iowa is currently in Phase 1A of vaccine distribution. Phase 1A is limited to paid and unpaid health care personnel and residents of long-term care facilities, assisted living facilities, and residential care facilities.

When will Phase 1B start?

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) worked with the Infectious Disease Advisory Council (IDAC) for additional guidance on further prioritizing within the Phase 1B priority groups established by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).

Phase 1B is expected to start in early February (subject to change based on availability of vaccine)

How and where can I get the COVID-19 vaccine?

  • Health care systems in Sioux County are making plans for vaccine administration
  • Sioux County Covid-19 Vaccine updates will be shared via media releases (newspaper, radio, and social media), health system websites and social media, and will also be posted to www.siouxcovid.org. Links to health system websites and social media are also listed on the www.siouxcovid.org website.

*Vaccine distribution timeline is dependent upon vaccine supply, and guidelines and recommendations are subject to change*

Novedades Sobre la Vacuna Contra el COVID-19 Desde el Condado Sioux

8 de enero, 2021

Novedades sobre la vacuna contra el COVID-19 desde el condado Sioux

En el condado Sioux se están suministrando la vacuna contra el COVID al personal de atención médica y a los residentes y el personal de la atención de largo plazo, que son los grupos de prioridad de la fase 1-A.

Al tener disponible más vacunas, los Compañeros de Salud Comunitaria, los cuatro sistemas de salud: Hawarden Regional Healthcare, Hegg Health Center Avera, Orange City Area Health System, y Sioux Center Health, tanto como el Centro de salud comunitaria Promesa, trabajarán juntos para suministrar la vacuna lo más pronto posible a los que son eligibles para recibirla.

Sigue muy limitado el número de vacunas contra el COVID. En este momento, no tenemos ni un horario fijo para cuando el número vaya a incrementar, ni para dar la prioridad a la gente en la fase 1-B, ni para los grupos que estarán incluidos en la fase 1-B.

Los Centros para el control y la prevención de enfermedades y el Concejo consultivo de enfermedades contagiosas (IDAC, por sus siglas en inglés) están determinando quienes estarán en los grupos de prioridad de la fase 1-B.

Se anticipa que cada uno que quiere una vacuna tendrá la oportunidad de recibirla a medios del año 2021. Hasta que la vacuna esté disponible para todos, es sumamente importante que los residentes de Iowa sigan practicando las medidas de mitigar la propagación del virus COVID-19:

  • Llevar una mascarilla o cubrirse la cara
  • Practicar el distanciamiento social con los que no forman parte de su casa
  • Lavarse la manos con frecuencia con jabón y agua
  • Quedarse en casa si se siente enfermo.

La información actualizada sobre el COVID-19 en el condado Sioux se compartirá por comunicados de prensa, los sitios web de los sistemas de salud, las redes sociales, y también en el sitio www.siouxcovid.org. Las enlaces a los sitios web de los sistemas de salud y las redes sociales también aparecen en el sitio www.siouxcovid.org.

Tenga fe que compartiremos información al tenerla y estamos todos trabajando juntos para asegurar la salud y la seguridad del condado Sioux.

Sioux County COVID-19 Vaccine Update

COVID vaccines are currently being administered in Sioux County to the Phase 1A priority populations of health care personnel and long-term care residents and staff.

 

As more vaccines become available, Community Health Partners, the 4 healthcare systems: Hawarden Regional Healthcare, Hegg Health Center Avera, Orange City Area Health System, and Sioux Center Health, as well as Promise Community Health Center will work together, to ensure COVID vaccine is administered as soon as possible to those eligible to receive it.

 

Supplies of Covid vaccine remain very limited. At this time, we do not have a firm timeline as to when to expect the vaccine supply to increase, or for the priority populations to move to Phase 1-B, or which groups of people will be included in Phase 1-B.

 

The CDC and Iowa’s Infectious Disease Advisory Council (IDAC) are currently working to determine which groups of people will fall into the Phase 1-B priority populations.

 

Community Health Partners and the Sioux County healthcare systems will continue to provide updates as additional priority populations are identified and as the county receives additional allocations of vaccine.

 

It is anticipated that by mid-2021, there should be vaccine available for anyone who wants to receive it. Until vaccine is widely available to all, it is critical that Iowans continue to practice the mitigation measures that can slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

  • Wearing a mask or face covering
  • Practice social distancing with those outside your household
  • Clean your hands frequently with soap and water
  • Stay home if you feel sick

 

Sioux County Covid-19 Vaccine updates will be shared via media releases, health system websites, on social media, and will also be posted to www.siouxcovid.org. Links to health system websites and social media are also listed on the www.siouxcovid.org website.

 

Be assured that we will share information as it becomes available and that we are all working together to ensure the health and safety of Sioux County.

 

Mask Press Release

November 11, 2020
News release: for immediate release
Submitted by:

Sioux County healthcare leaders urge masking – including in churches
Asking for public’s help in slowing the surge of COVID-19

Following Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds’ proclamation on November 10 regarding masking and indoor gatherings, the CEOs of the four Sioux County hospitals – along with Community Health Partners – are imploring all residents of Sioux County to help slow the spread of COVID-19 by adhering to gathering restrictions and mask requirements. Wearing masks in indoor public settings helps reduce the spread of COVID-19.

“We as a hospital and health system community implore each resident and visitor in Sioux County to follow the Governor’s proclamation requiring masking for indoor gatherings of 25 or more people,” stated the health system leaders, adding “Specifically, we urge every church to strongly consider voluntarily submitting to this protocol as well.”

According to the health system leaders, at least 15 Sioux County residents currently are hospitalized with the COVID-19 virus. Sioux County has had an additional 95 positive cases in the past two days. The county’s 14-day positivity rate (the percent of people testing positive among those tested) is now 29.4 percent.

“Sioux County is experiencing substantial community spread of COVID-19,” the health system leaders state. “The strain on the local healthcare systems and their employees is very real, and we need to keep our healthcare workers safe and available to care for those who need it.”

Governor Reynolds’ November 10 proclamation states that any social, community, recreational, leisure, or sports gathering or event of more than 25 people held indoors, or more than 100 people outdoors, is prohibited through November 30 unless all participants over the age of two wear masks at all times except while eating or drinking. Spiritual and religious gatherings are exempt from this prohibition; however, healthcare leaders are strongly urging Sioux County churches to voluntarily adopt the mask requirement for group gatherings through November 30.

During this very challenging time, health care leaders and CHP ask the faith community to help preserve our healthcare resources and slow the community spread of COVID-19 by strongly considering wearing masks in church.

 

To view as a PDF document, please click Here.

Enhanced Public Health Mitigation Measures

COVID-19 continues to surge across the state with group gatherings being a major source of serious community spread.  Today Governor Reynolds asked all Iowans to “consider how their choice to adhere to public health mitigation strategies impacts the spread of COVID-19 in their family and community.” The Governor signed a new proclamation imposing a number of additional public health measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19. These new measures will be effective at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, November 11 and will continue until 11:59 p.m. on November 30, 2020.

 

A summary of enhanced mitigation measures can be found here: Summary of Enhanced Public Health Measures

 

The entire proclamation can be found at this link:  https://governor.iowa.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Public%20Health%20Proclamation%20-%202020.11.10.pdf

 

As cases of COVID-19 continue to surge with serious community spread, please consider how your actions will impact—or protect—others in the community. Please do all you can to prevent the spread of COVID-19 so we can protect our vulnerable community members, keep our students in school and our businesses open, and prevent overwhelming our health care systems.