The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) along with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and University of Iowa announce their collaboration to host information sessions about the COVID-19 vaccine later this month. The sessions will provide a virtual forum for Iowans to learn about the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines and have an opportunity to ask questions of medical experts.

Effective immediately, Iowans with barriers to scheduling a vaccine appointment or who do not have internet access who are 65 and older, or 64 and younger with an underlying health condition as outlined by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)  here, can call 211 or (800) 244-7431 and a vaccine navigator will assist them with scheduling a vaccine appointment.

Effective Monday, March 8, Iowa vaccine providers can officially begin vaccinating additional priority populations. Individuals 64 years of age and younger with medical conditions that are or may be an increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19 are now eligible. See Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) recommendations for those conditions here.

The state of Iowa will reach a milestone this week, with over 100,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine being distributed statewide. In addition to the Moderna and Pfizer allocations, Iowa will receive 25,600 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which was approved for Emergency Use Authorization by the FDA and CDC on February 28.

The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust has awarded the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) Bureau of Emergency and Trauma Services (BETS) a $10.1 million grant to provide law enforcement officials and first responders throughout the state with more than 4,000 automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) to improve cardiac arrest survival.