Stark Health Departments Plan for State Phase 1A Vaccinations

CANTON, Ohio (News Talk 1480 WHBC) – Stark County’s four health departments are working to identify the Phase 1A facilities and groups to receive the COVID vaccine.

The state defines Phase 1A as nursing homes and other congregate living facilities as well as healthcare and related workers.

The Stark County and Canton departments have created an online process.

Those in Phase 1A of the Ohio Vaccination Program are as follows, according to the Stark County Health Department:

People to be vaccinated in congregate care facilities during Phase 1A include:
• Residents and staff of nursing homes and assisted living facilities not enrolled in the federal pharmacy program.
• People with developmental disabilities and those with mental health disorders including substance use
disorders who live in group homes, residential facilities, or centers and staff at those locations not enrolled in the federal pharmacy program.

Healthcare providers prioritized for vaccination in Phase 1A should be those with the greatest occupational risk for exposure to and/or transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Examples of prioritized high-risk healthcare workers include (in no specific priority order):
• Home health/hospice workers not vaccinated by hospitals or healthcare systems.
• Emergency Medical Services responders.
• Primary care practitioners, including family medicine and general medicine providers.
• Freestanding EDs, urgent care, pharmacies, and dialysis centers not vaccinated by hospitals or healthcare systems.
• OB-GYN practitioners not vaccinated by hospitals or healthcare systems.
• Federally Qualified Health Center providers.
• Dental providers.
• Surgeons not vaccinated by hospitals or healthcare systems.
• Mobile unit practitioners.
• Healthcare providers, including public health employees, at risk for exposure to and/or transmission of SARS-CoV-2, such as vaccinators.
Transport and janitorial support staff of healthcare facilities.