Gage Johnson
Editor-in-Chief
[email protected]
Murray State’s regional COVID-19 vaccination site was scheduled to open on Wednesday, Feb. 10, but the threat of an ice storm forced state and local health officials to reschedule opening day.
Gov. Andy Beshear announced on Thursday, Feb. 4, that the CFSB Center would be a regional vaccination site.
Health officials have rescheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 17. Patients who had an appointment for Feb. 10 will be contacted via telephone and will have the appointment rescheduled for the same time on Feb. 17, according to a post on the Calloway County Health Department’s Facebook page.The news of the postponement comes as Beshear announced the federal government increased Kentucky’s vaccine supply by an additional six percent for a total increase of 28 percent.
Murray State is not the only regional vaccination site to shutter its doors because of the potential for inclement weather. Beshear said all Kroger regional vaccination sites will also have to reschedule appointments.
“If you have waited a long time to get this appointment, I am really sorry, but I also don’t want to put you out on the roads with thick ice,” Beshear said. “Wear your mask, be careful over this next week and we will get you vaccinated.”
Currently, the state has prioritized those individuals in phase 1B as those eligible to receive the vaccine. This group includes persons age 70 and older, and those with serious underlying health conditions.
Faculty and staff at Murray State will be listed under essential workers in phase 1C which has prompted some concerns about the sign up process for the vaccine for University employees. The registration website that everyone is encouraged to use does not have a way to indicate whether or not they are a University employee. The University administration addressed this issue in an email to the campus community.
“The University is providing employee lists of all faculty/staff to the Calloway County Health Department, per their request as we advance through different vaccination phases laid out by the Commonwealth,” according to the campus wide email. “This is done in order for them to cross check the names of individuals who sign up for the COVID-19 vaccination via the Calloway County Health Department’s website: www.Callowayhealth.org. This is simply another way in which they can ensure individuals are in the 1C phase who sign-up for the vaccine.”
Vaccines will be available by appointment only – no walk-up appointments will be allowed.
“This is to ensure that each vaccination site can administer 90 percent or more of all vaccine doses within seven days of arrival,” according to the statement.
Future Regional Vaccination site dates and appointments will be scheduled soon. In order to sign up for the vaccine, visit the Calloway County Health Department’s website at callowayhealth.org.
Continue to monitor the website, the University’s website at murraystate.edu/vaccine and The News’ social media pages for future updates and news.
