JUNCTION CITY, Kan. – Geary County announced Wednesday they are changing their COVID-19 vaccine scheduling process to prevent doses from going to waste.
They said now if people want to receive their shot through the Geary County Health Department, they will have to call to schedule an appointment. That number is 785-762-5788.
The county said they have Johnson & Johnson and Moderna vaccines available.
Director of Geary County Emergency Management, Garry Berges said, “We have been calling and scheduling people to receive their vaccine, however, some are going to one of the local pharmacies or another location to receive their vaccine and do not notify us.” He said they then have to work to use the vaccine doses at the last minute because people are not coming in for their scheduled appointments.
“We’re scrambling to try to not have that vaccine go to waste.” Geary County Health Department, Director, Tammy Von Busch says.
Berges added the health department only has six hours to use the vaccine once it has been opened or they have to throw it away. He said, “This is a terrible waste of vaccine when we cannot get someone in on short notice because someone else has no-showed for their appointment.”
“The past couple days that we’ve had clinics we’ve had extra…extra vaccine at the end of the day and so then we’re calling people. We’re were here until 7 o’clock on Monday getting people to come in just so that we didn’t waste any vaccine.” Von Busch says.
Moving forward, the county said they will no longer use the sign-up roster. They also ask that if you are scheduled and decide to get your vaccine somewhere else, notify the health department immediately so they can get someone else to fill the spot and the vaccine does not go to waste.
“We will get them scheduled right there on the spot and we’ll be able to get them in usually within a couple days.” Von Busch says.
