CEO COVID-19 Update: January 8, 2021

I am very proud of the St. John’s COVID planning and response team for already successfully administering more than 800 vaccines from the first government allocation. Many communities around the country that received vaccine in December have not been able to quickly and effectively get the vaccine to priority groups, but our staff did an excellent job. As you may know, the federal government provided these vaccines to states for distribution, and as an administrator of vaccine, we are required to adhere to guidance detailing who is eligible to receive it.

From the December vaccine allotment, St. John’s was able to offer the first dose of the vaccine to our Living Center residents and hospital and clinic staff/providers. Our partners at the Teton County Health Department also administered more than 400 vaccines to other individuals in the priority categories established by the Wyoming Department of Health. As a community, we are all moving toward a safer place with each person that receives vaccine. We recently received vaccine for the second dose for individuals we immunized in December, and we are administering those doses this week and next week per the schedule required by the drug companies and FDA.

I know that many of you are interested and eager to know when you will be able to receive a vaccine. Currently, the amount of January vaccine allocation confirmed for Teton County is 800 doses. This allocation allows the Teton County Health Department to begin to vaccinate the next priority tier in the Wyoming Department of Health vaccine plan. Due to the limited number of vaccines we will receive in January, the Teton County Health Department plans to begin providing immunizations to the general public in mid-January, with an initial focus on individuals age 80 and older. Individuals who meet the age requirement and who are interested in receiving the vaccine may sign up on the Health Department’s website, http://www.tetoncountywy.gov/covidvax, beginning the week of January 11. The Health Department will also publish an outline of the timeframe for additional groups in our population.

I want you to know that I am actively pursuing all avenues to get more vaccine in Teton County for our residents. This pandemic will not be over until most of us have immunity, which the vaccine has been demonstrated to safely provide.

Lastly, as hundreds of our community members get vaccinated in the next few weeks, I need to emphasize the importance of everyone taking safety precautions into the foreseeable future: please continue to wear masks, physically distance, and be aware of your social circles. Until we reach herd immunity, we need to be aware of our risk of passing this disease on to someone else, even if that chance has been greatly reduced by an individual’s immunity. Thank you for all you are during to ensure your safety and the safety of this community.

Sincerely,

Paul Beaupré, CEO

St. John’s Health