With COVID-19 vaccination rates slowing down across Iowa, some county and city officials are finding creative ways to get more shots into other people’s arms.

Greene County Public Health Director Becky Wolf describes some of the ways they have been able to offer the vaccines.

“We offered it at the Bell Tower Festival and we had a few people come through. We have been to the food pantry. We have offered the vaccine at specific gatherings. We’ve offered to like our different groups of our health inequity populations.”   

Wolf points out that the 12-18 year-old demographic is one of the lowest percentages compared to others in the county. However, she notes that parents can have their children get the vaccine in a variety of ways, including during a health check, a school physical, or during one of the upcoming public health back to school immunization clinics. Wolf talks about new information regarding the approved Pfizer vaccine, as being the only vaccine that children 12-16 years-old can take.

“And interestingly, they (CDC) have extended the expiration date on that vaccine. They’ve discovered that it maintains its effectiveness on beyond. So that allows us to keep using that vaccine.” 

Wolf adds, the county-wide goal is to reach at least 75-percent of the population to be fully vaccinated and to achieve herd immunity.