Vaccine eligibility is determined by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) when vaccine supply is limited. ACIP presents their recommendations to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Because early supplies of the COVID-19 vaccine are limited, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued recommendations for who should be considered eligible for vaccination first. Based on those recommendations and the number of doses they are allocated, state and county public health departments receive federal guidance to determine a more specific prioritization schedule for their residents. Allocation plans can vary from state to state and the speed at which eligible individuals are vaccinated depends on the number of doses available. Learn more about how the CDC determines the eligibility recommendations for the vaccine:

• Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH), with input from the Infectious Disease Advisory Council (IDAC), will provide more recommendations for who should get vaccine next. This guidance is to help reduce health inequities from geography, poverty, and other social determinants.

Mahaska County Public Health will share information about when vaccine will be given to more groups within the general public once that information is available from federal and state partners.

It is not yet known when the vaccines will be available to the general public. Like all Iowa health systems, we are working closely with the CDC and state health departments charged with vaccine distribution in our state. Mahaska Health is following all state and federal recommendations for COVID-19 vaccine distribution. The Iowa Department of Public Health, based on recommendations put forward by the Iowa Diseases Advisory Council (IDAC) has provided due to the current and short term projections for vaccine allocation for Iowa, IDAC recommendations for Phase 1B focus on individuals who are age 75 and over* (*IDPH issued updated guidance on 01/21/2021 for Phase 1B. Beginning February 1, persons aged 65 years and over OR, populations vulnerable to high risk of exposure or severity of illness will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.) as well as other high-risk populations. This includes Iowans who are most vulnerable to exposure to COVID-19 or high-risk for illness. We will keep you posted when we are able to begin vaccinating Phase 1B priority populations. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the State of Iowa determine who gets the vaccine. The vaccines will be made available in phases. The CDC and the State of Iowa will provide guidance on who will belong to each phase of vaccinations.

Due to nationwide vaccine shortage and limited vaccine availability, the federal government and the state of Iowa have established priority groups that are being given the vaccine first due to their risk of exposure to COVID-19. We expect production of the vaccine to increase in 2021, when there will eventually be enough supply of the vaccine for everyone who would like to receive it.

As of January 15, based on limited vaccine supply, Polk County announced that they are still currently in Phase 1A, which includes Healthcare Personnel and Long-term Care Facility Residents and Staff.

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) has indicated it wants to get everyone in the state vaccinated as soon as possible, but it will take time. You can also sign up for MahaskaAlert email updates here.

For more information on vaccine availability, return to this page regularly. It will be updated as more information becomes available.

You can also visit the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) COVID-19 vaccination information. People who don’t have internet access can get information about the COVID-19 vaccines by calling IDPH at 2-1-1.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the State of Iowa determine who gets the vaccine. The vaccines will be made available in phases. People who need the vaccine sooner will be included in earlier phases. The CDC and the State of Iowa will provide guidance on who will belong to each phase of vaccinations. Mahaska Health will continue to update this section with more information on availability once more guidance regarding the phased distribution is available.

For any questions about the COVID-19 vaccine and how it relates to your medical condition or history, contact your primary care provider.

Mahaska Health Primary Care & Family Medicine

641.672.3360

Due to the limited vaccine, the federal government and the state of Iowa have established priority groups that are being given the vaccine first due to their risk of exposure to COVID-19. We expect production of the vaccine to increase in 2021, when there will eventually be enough supply of the vaccine for everyone who would like to receive it.

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) has indicated it wants to get everyone in the state vaccinated as soon as possible, but it will take time. You can also sign up for MahaskaAlert email updates here.

Vaccination sites will provide space for social distancing and will require that face masks be worn. We ask that only the patient attend the appointment whenever possible. We recognize that some patients will require assistance and exceptions will be allowed in those cases. Patients will be asked to wait in their vehicles until the time of their appointment to further support social distancing and a streamlined process.

Patients will be required to remain at the vaccination site to be monitored for 15 to 30 minutes after receiving the vaccine to monitor for any adverse reactions. In the rare event of a reaction, medically trained staff will be readily available onsite to manage these reactions.

Due to the limited vaccine, the federal government and the state of Iowa have established priority groups that are being given the vaccine first due to their risk of exposure to COVID-19. We expect production of the vaccine to increase in 2021, when there will eventually be enough supply of the vaccine for everyone who would like to receive it.

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) has indicated it wants to get everyone in the state vaccinated as soon as possible, but it will take time. You can also sign up for MahaskaAlert email updates here. We also post updates on COVID-19 vaccinations as well.

You can stay up to date by visiting the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) website. If you do not have internet access, you can call IDPH with any general COVID-19 questions by calling 2-1-1.

Due to the severe health risks associated with COVID-19 and the fact that re-infection with COVID-19 is possible, people may be advised to get a COVID-19 vaccine even if they have been sick with COVID-19 before. At this time, experts do not know how long someone is protected from getting sick again after recovering from COVID-19. The immunity someone gains from having an infection, called natural immunity, varies from person to person. Some early evidence suggests natural immunity may not last very long. Experts won’t know how long immunity produced by vaccination lasts until more data is available on how well it works.

Yes. While experts learn more about the protection that COVID-19 vaccines provide under real-life conditions, it will be important for everyone to continue using all the tools available to us to help stop this pandemic, like covering your mouth and nose with a mask, washing hands often, and staying at least 6 feet away from others. Experts need to understand more about the protection that COVID-19 vaccines provide before deciding to change recommendations on steps everyone should take to slow the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.

If you are not feeling well, it is recommended that you wait until you are feeling better to get the vaccine. For any questions about the COVID-19 vaccine and how it relates to your medical condition or history, contact your primary care provider.

Mahaska Health Primary Care & Family Medicine

641.672.3360