More vaccine scheduled for Union County

Union County is set to receive 200 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine per week during the month of February, Union County Emergency Management Director Jo Anne Duckworth said during the Union County Board of Supervisors meeting Monday at the Union County Courthouse.

Duckworth said she had received the information in an email from Public Health Nurse Robin Sevier. Sevier said, in the email, that hopefully the number of doses available will go up after that.

Later that day Greater Regional Health posted information on its website and through the Alert Iowa system, that a waiting list had been established. Those 65 or older may go to the GRH website and click on the orange bar or those without internet access may call the COVID-19 hotline number, 641-745-0124, Tuesdays and Thursdays from noon to 2 p.m.

The employees at the Union County Law Center received their vaccines Wednesday. Duckworth said those vaccines were not a part of the 200 received for the general public.

Duckworth said Union County’s 14-day positivity rate is 7.9% with a seven-day rate of 6% on Monday. As of Tuesday morning, according to coronavirus.iowa.gov those numbers were 5% and 3% respectively.

“It’s dropping, that’s good news,” Duckworth said.

Union County has had 30 deaths and 1,157 total cases of COVID-19.

The Union County Board of Supervisors meets weekly 9 a.m. Monday at the Union County Courthouse, 300 N. Pine St. The supervisors are still meeting in person at this time, but the public is encouraged to submit comments for public forum by mail, email or telephone to help limit the gathering to 10 participants.