By Gary Girard LCO Community Health Center Director
The Lac Courte Oreilles Community Health Center has Covid-19 vaccinated 500 patients in the past five weeks. This includes primary and booster doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. We have administered 700 doses to date. We have been following the CDC and IHS guidelines as the vaccines are limited. We will be administering another 300 doses by the end of next week.
In Phase 1a, we administered vaccines to health care workers, emergency medical staff, and essential tribal employees in partnership with the LCO Tribal Governing Board. We are beginning Phase 1b and are developing a list of tribal elders (65 and older) with co-morbidity, defined as other health impairments which may pose a greater health risk if contracting Covid-19. The health center will be calling individuals from this list. When you are called, please come at the designated time for your appointment and please follow up recommended booster shot as well.
There have been some minor side effects associated with the vaccinations including soreness at injection site and fatigue, but no major complications have been observed at the health center to date. It is imperative that we get as many community members vaccinated as soon as possible when the vaccines become available.