Vanderburgh Co. Health Dept. Opens Back Up COVID Vaccine List

COVID-19 vaccination has been underway in the Tri-State for a few weeks, with many health care workers, other front line workers, nursing home residents, and elderly residents with pre-existing conditions getting their first dose of the vaccine, and in some cases their second. For those of us who don't fall into any of those categories, our turn will come, but exactly when is unknown. With that said, it could happen sooner rather than later if you live in Vanderburgh County thanks to a new back-up list opened by the Vanderburgh County Health Department (VCHD).

As reported by multiple local media outlets, including our media partner, Eyewitness News, the VCHD announced Monday the back-up list is open to anyone under the age of 70 who would like to get vaccinated. The idea of the list is to eliminate waste by using up any leftover vaccines on a given day once all appointments for that day have been completed. Plus, more people getting vaccinated to put the pandemic behind us quicker is never a bad thing.

While anyone under 70 can put their name on the list, there are a few stipulations. The online form you fill out to get on the list has several checkboxes noting different pre-existing conditions including obesity, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease, among others. The VCHD says in the event a day comes where they have extra vaccines left over, county residents over the age of 65 who have checked any of those boxes will be given priority over someone who has not checked any of those boxes.

There is one other catch, in the event you receive a phone call from the Health Department on any given day giving you the opportunity to get a vaccine, you must be able to arrive at the vaccination clinic within 30 minutes of getting the phone call. If not, the offer will be made to someone else, however your name will remain on the list.

Visit the VCHD website to get your name added to the list.

In other COVID vaccination news, Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke recently shared a graphic on his Facebook page showing Indiana as second in the country for vaccine distribution. Kentucky isn't too far behind in seventh place, and Illinois a few place behin them in 13th.

[Sources: Eyewitness News / Vanderburgh County Health Department]