Greene County Public Health is optimistic about progressing to the next set of priority groups to receive a COVID-19 vaccine soon.

Director Becky Wolf says they have finished administering the first dose of the vaccine to all Greene County and Paton-Churdan school staff that requested it, along with working through childcare providers and early childhood workers. She points out they have gotten a positive response from the county’s first responders, who are also a part of the Phase 1b Tier 1 priority group.

“We have utilized the Greene County Medical Center Occupational Health staff to help us with reaching the firefighters, police and law enforcement officers. Our social workers, that maybe work with the (Iowa) Department of Human Services that go into the homes, we’re also making sure that they are protected. So hopefully within the next week or so we’ll be all done with Tier 1, fingers crossed, and then we can move on.”

As of Friday, Wolf says 248 people have received both doses of the vaccine, while 957 total doses have been administered. She anticipates focusing vaccines on the over 1,100 that have signed up for the vaccine, while also moving to Phase 1B Tier 2 individuals. You can hear more from Wolf in a special COVID-19 informational program on 98.9FM KGRA and online at raccoonvalleyradio.com tomorrow at 1pm.