DES MOINES, Iowa — Nearly a month has passed since the first coronavirus vaccine was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, triggering the shipment of thousands of doses to Iowa.
But Iowans still cannot see in real-time the number of doses available, the number of doses administered and how much of each vaccine the state has used.
In a Monday update, the Iowa Department of Public Health said it is still working to develop the online dashboard with state vaccine information. In the meantime, reports will be updated on the coronavirus state website three times a week: Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Reports will report county-level information soon, as well as high-level information on vaccine administration totals.
To date, more than 96,000 doses of the vaccine have been administered. Below is the report dated Jan. 11.
"We are working to bring a more robust and dynamic dashboard of our vaccine progress online in the coming weeks," IDPH Interim Director Kelly Garcia said in a release. "Iowans can expect to see additional data points that will clearly illustrate the progress we are making in vaccinating Iowans."
Iowans working in health care settings and long-term care facilities are getting the vaccine, as well as LTC residents. The state is working with local health agencies to coordinate the administration process.
According to the state, more Iowans in the next priority groups will be eligible to get the vaccine. Some local public health leaders admit it could be until mid to late 2021 until the general public is able to get vaccinated.
Until more vaccines, which are currently a scarce resource, are widely available to all, it is critical that Iowans continue to practice the mitigation measures that can slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
- Wearing a mask or face covering
- Practice social distancing with those outside your household
- Clean your hands frequently with soap and water
- Stay home if you feel sick