Those who are 70 and older will be able to schedule their appointments Thursday to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
The Union County Health Department’s online scheduler, available at www.uchdclinic.org, will open at 8:30 a.m. Thursday for appointments on Friday.
UCHD officials have requested that community members assist older adults who do not have a computer or do not feel comfortable booking an online appointment.
Family members, friends or neighbors can book an appointment on behalf of an eligible individual, as long as they have the person’s consent.
Along with UCHD, Union County Senior Services and the Marysville Public Library are helping eligible individuals to make online appointments.
Those without a computer can call the health department office at (937) 642-2053 once the scheduler opens for help reserving an appointment.
However, UCHD officials noted that even after tripling the number of staff members answering phones, they are still experiencing a “very high call volume” and callers may experience a “long delay.”
Residents can also call Union County Senior Services at (937) 644-1010 and press option 5 to book an appointment once the scheduling window opens.
The library can also help a limited number of Union County residents book an online appointment. Interested individuals should call the Adult Reference Department at (937) 642-1876 ext. 32 during regular library hours, in advance of the scheduling window.
Regardless of the method used to book an appointment, UCHD officials emphasized that they are scheduled on a first come, first serve basis.
Past appointments have been completely booked within 30 to 90 minutes of the scheduler opening, according to the health department.
Those who successfully make an appointment will receive their vaccine through a drive-thru clinic at the Union County Fairgrounds.
The scheduler will continue to re-open each week for that week’s clinic, based on the amount of vaccine UCHD has been allocated by the state.
UCHD officials said they anticipate receiving approximately 400 doses this week. They estimated there are about 4,700 persons who are 70 and older living in Union County.
Ohioans with a developmental or intellectual disability and congenital, developmental or early onset medical condition are also eligible for vaccination this week.
The Union County Board of Developmental Disabilities is currently working with the health department to identify eligible individuals and arrange vaccination.
The health department is receiving the Pfizer vaccine, which is only approved for use in those who are 16 and older, regardless of whether they meet the state’s eligibility requirements otherwise.
As of Monday, 4,289 people – or 7.27% of the population – in Union County have received at least the first dose of the vaccine, according to the Ohio Department of Health.