Married for 70 years, Harold and Dorthy McGillivray have experienced many milestones together over the decades, and after weathering the coronavirus pandemic throughout most of 2020 and into the New Year, the couple received their COVID-19 vaccinations together this week.
At the Logan County Health District office during a clinic Thursday, 89-year-old Mrs. McGillivray stepped up and received her vaccine first, telling her husband, age 90, not to be afraid — nurse Ashley Kunkel did such a good job she didn’t even feel the injection.
“Oh, you’re done already?” she joked with her nurse.
The longtime sweethearts, who knew each other as children growing up in Terre Haute and Tremont City and lived in Columbus until retirement in 1993, said they have been cautious throughout the health crisis and were happy to get their vaccines. The Green Hills independent living residents have still been able to see their family members, but their loved ones have maintained mask wearing and social distancing when they come for visits.
“They have taken really good care of us,” Mrs. McGillivray said of her family.
As the Logan County Health District continues to carry on with its COVID-19 vaccination clinics, twice a week for now for individuals with scheduled appointments, agency officials reported this week at their board of health meeting that there is an increasing need for volunteers to staff a number of duties, from answering phone calls and other clerical work, to assisting with the clinic registration and monitoring.
“We have gotten a pretty good system set up now, with our registration area and checking temperatures, and other staff set up throughout the buildings to assist participants,” Nursing Director Kelly Reaver said, noting that 74 individuals were served at a clinic Tuesday, and around the same number received the vaccine Thursday.
“But as the clinics continue and we receive more and more phone calls with people wanting to get on waiting lists for the vaccine, we really are in need of volunteers. Our staff has been overwhelmed.”
At this time, the health district is receiving a shipment of approximately 100 doses of the vaccine per week, but that could increase as the year progresses and as additional individuals are eligible to receive the vaccination.
“We are beginning to ramp things up with the vaccine, and if we had more volunteers and could get them trained, we could eventually do larger clinics,” Logan County Health Commissioner Dr. Boyd Hoddinott said.
Deputy Health Commissioner Donna Peachey related that there are many volunteer opportunities to suit various preferences and backgrounds. For those who would rather not be exposed to the public, there are clerical duties like data entry duties to process patients after their vaccination, answering phones, scheduling appointments, and tending to voice mails for the waiting list.
Additionally, there is a need for qualified nurses to volunteer as well, Peachey said.
For individuals who would like to help, they can fill out a volunteer form on the health district website, www.loganhealth.org, or through the Medical Reserve Corps website, www.ohioresponds.odh.ohio.gov, and click “Register Now” and click on your county of residence.
Relating to the waiting list for vaccinations at the LCHD, officials at this time are asking Logan County residents who are age 75 or older to visit www.loganhealth.org, or to ask a family and friend to assist them, to complete the online form to be added to the waiting list.
For those who do not have access to the website, call the more direct line (937) 592-9040, Option 6, to be added to the waiting list. Officials noted that using the website is the fastest and preferred method of being added to the waiting list.
The health district is asking Logan County residents who are between age 65 and 75 to wait for further instruction at this time.
As vaccination efforts and eligibility continues to change, the health district will keep area residents informed through local media, its website and social media pages.
At the LCHD, the nursing staff will begin administering second doses of the vaccine beginning Jan. 28. Those appointments are set up when patients receive their first dose, Reaver said.
Relating to COVID-19 cases, the nursing director reported with 880 cases in the county for December was “about three years of what we would typically handle in infectious disease, all in one month,” she said.
The health district’s Situational Report for December details the age break-down for cases last month, with the most cases seen, 143, in ages 40-49, and the second most, 140 cases, in ages 20-29. For ages 70 to 79, there were 69 cases, and there were 37 cases and 24 cases, respectively, in the age groups 80-89 and 90 and older.
Reaver said the agency’s one call system for notifying positive cases has been going well, and the Ohio Department of Health staff also have been handling about 150 notifications of positive cases in Logan County per week.
During organizational matters, Bob Harrison was re-elected president of the health board and Robin Price was re-elected vice president.
The next meeting is 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10, at the health district, 310 S. Main St.