FRANKFORT, Ind – Clinton County is moving forward with a COVID-19 vaccination plan – a plan that is addressing the vaccination of as many as 40% or 50% of county residents once a vaccine is available.
As part of the readiness plan is the need for two trailers to not only transport the vaccines but to make the vaccination clinic mobile to communities throughout Clinton County. One trailer would transport and refrigerate the vaccines while the second would be used for transportation of equipment necessary to carry-out the clinics, like tents.
Rodney Wann, Clinton County Health Department Administrator, addressed the Clinton County Commissioners on Monday during their scheduled meeting at the Frankfort Clinton County Airport terminal regarding both the plan and the trailer.
“My guess it is six months,” Wann said when addressing the Commissioners as to when a vaccine might be here ready for public vaccinations. “We have been through [a campaign like] this before through H1N1 about 10 years or so ago.”
Wann explained the difference between the vaccination procedure with H1N1 and COVID-19. “This is probably a two-rounder. So for every one you give, you have to give another. The majority of the vaccines are going to be a two-dose situation. Unless something changes.”
The need for a trailer is to increase the mobilization of the Health Department to reach as many spots of the various communities while acknowledging vaccinations will have to be performed differently for COVID-19 versus those programs done in the past.
“A lot of the time, we have always tried to do them in a facility like the schools,” said Wann. “Having had just the testing facility run six or more months now, I know that there’s a bit of astigmatism toward having the testing site there right now in facilities like schools when we are trying to keep them open.”
Wann described the trailer for vaccinations as being custom built allowing not only vaccination distribution but ensuring correct temperature control for the vaccines. The trailer would have a mounted generator, two vaccine refrigerators, side windows on either side to allow for small drive thru set-ups, a ramp, and internet and communications equipment for approximately $87,000.
“(The trailer will be) put not only to full use during this current emergency that we’re in, but it would for years to come,” said Wann. He stated the trailer could be used as part of a yearly back-to-school immunization plan working with the various county school nurses ensuring children receive their required shots.
During the discussion questions regarding the time to manufacture the trailer took place between Wann and the commissioners. A set date has not been provided for when a trailer would be available. The commissioners discussed amongst themselves how the trailer would be paid for.
Clinton County Sheriff Rich Kelly, who was in attendance, addressed the commissioners and Wann to offer a solution while a manufacturing timeline can be ironed out as well as how the County would pay for the trailers.
Sheriff Kelly offered the use of the department’s new 37’ trailer and communications trailer. Wann agreed that may work should a trailer of their own not be ready when the vaccines become available.
After the meeting, Wann addressed how quickly they could be up and operational once a vaccine is available and they have equipment in place.
“We are already planning with the State Department of Health – we have been since about three weeks ago,” said Wann. “We’re already being told to be prepared for November – whether that happens or not we’re just going to go with what they tell us. I would say we would be operational within two to three weeks after we get our first doses if not before that.”
Wann said vaccinations would more than likely begin in Frankfort and move out towards other communities in the County.
“We would start in a centralized location – be more than likely Frankfort to start with – and work our way out from there based off of the priority groups,” said Wann. “As it becomes more widely available we’re going to try and get further out into each of the little towns – much like we used to do with flu clinics where we would make the rounds and go to each and every community.”
He anticipates as much as a 4x increase in COVID-19 vaccinations as compared to H1N1.
“I would hope to think if we get past the election and people start to realize they need to listen to the science and not the politicians on this – I would hope to think that we would be upwards of 40 or 50% of our County population wanting to get the vaccine meaning 15 to 16,000 – and two rounds,” said Wann. “That is a lot of vaccines.
“It won’t be done in a weekend and certainly be more of a season, maybe a quarter before we could get up to those numbers and at about the time you get them done, you have to turn around and give them that second dose again. We will be busy for several months once we get started.”
Their goal is 300 to 400 vaccinations per hour using between 20 and 40 vaccinators.
