Vaccine eligibility expanding to teachers on Monday

Beginning Monday, March 15, all K-12 teachers will be eligible to schedule their COVID-19 vaccination.

Dr. Lindsay Weaver, chief medical officer for the Indiana Department of Health, announced the expansion of eligibility to receive the COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday.

School staff members including cafeteria workers, bus drivers, school administrators and substitute teachers are also eligible.

Further expansions of eligibility based on age and other underlying conditions will be pushed back.

According to State Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box, a person 40 years or older is 10 times more likely to die if they contract COVID-19 than a healthy 18- to-29-year-old.

“That will have an impact on getting to that list of folks with comorbidities,” said Gov. Eric Holcomb. “We were using data to drive all of our decisions about those who were most as risk. The (Biden) administration and our federal partners have said you need to add (teachers) in to any site and so we will do that.”

The Putnam County Health Department continues to offer a vaccine clinic at its offices located at 1542 S. Bloomington St., Suite 1500, in Greencastle. The Putnam County Hospital also offers a clinic at the Putnam County Fairgrounds.

All locations require an appointment in advance, and they may be made by calling 211 or visiting www.putnamhealthindiana.org and selecting the COVID-19 Vaccine link at the top of the page.