Karen Hammersmith with the Reno County Health Department explained that the county gets less of the Johnson & Johnson single shot COVID-19 vaccine, so they have been using it differently than the Moderna two-shot series.
"We did take it to the Reno County Correctional Facility," Hammersmith said. "They had some people there. That's highly important for that congregate setting to get vaccinated, so we offered it there. We're planning some other places. It's a one dose series, so it's really nice to take it to people that you're going to have a hard time to get back in for that vaccine."
The intent is to make sure that those who would be less likely to keep a second appointment only need the one shot.
"We're going to target some people that are maybe low-income and hard to get a hold of," Hammersmith said. "Then, I believe we're going to go to a surrounding area out maybe, like by Fairfield and get some vaccine out there and just offer it into those areas. That way we don't have to turn around and go back to those areas."
If there is some legitimate reason that would make it impossible to keep a second appointment and someone would prefer the single shot, you can ask for it.
"If people are calling specifically and they only want that, I've had some people that are traveling out of the country doing missionary work," Hammersmith said. "After two weeks, you're already vaccinated, so that Johnson & Johnson is a really good vaccine for that purpose. We've tried to use it in those cases, as well."
In order for the Health Department to open a vial of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, they need five recipients, so that they don't waste any of it.
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