Indiana K-12 teachers, school staff and child care workers can get the COVID-19 vaccine at any site in the state, starting Monday.
Last week, the Biden administration made the vaccine available for educators through federal pharmacy program sites – in Indiana, Kroger, Meijer and Walmart – last week.
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Gov. Eric Holcomb said the federal government went a step further this week.
“We were using data to drive all of our decisions about those who were most at risk," Holcomb said. "The administration – our federal partners – said ‘You need to add in [teachers] to any site.’ And so, we will do that.”
Holcomb said that forced addition will have an impact on getting the vaccine to Hoosiers with a long list of comorbidities. The state announced Wednesday it’s expanding vaccine eligibility to include more comorbidities.
The new eligibility includes:
- Cystic fibrosis
- Muscular dystrophy
- People born with severe heart defects, requiring specialized medical care.
- People with severe type 1 diabetes, who have been hospitalized in the past year.
- Phenylketonuria (PKU), Tay-Sachs, and other rare, inherited metabolic disorders.
- Epilepsy with continuing seizures, hydrocephaly, microcephaly and other severe neurologic disorders
- People with severe asthma who have been hospitalized for this in the past year
- Alpha and beta thalassemia
- Spina bifida
- Cerebral palsy
- People who require supplemental oxygen and/or tracheostomy
- Pulmonary fibrosis, Alpha-1 Antitrypsin
- Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, combined primary immunodeficiency disorder, HIV, daily use of corticosteroids, use of other immune weakening medicines, receiving tumor necrosis factor-alpha blocker or rituximab.
Weaver says, beginning Monday, teachers, child care workers and school staff will be eligible to get vaccinated at state vaccine sites (not just the federal pharmacy program sites). The definition of who's eligible: pic.twitter.com/U4G6NkSLR3 — Brandon J. Smith (@brandonjsmith5) March 10, 2021
Dr. Lindsay Weaver, Indiana Department of Health chief medical officer, said getting vaccinations for those with comorbidities (who don’t meet the age qualification) is coordinated through health care providers.
“If you believe you or your loved one qualifies, it is appropriate to reach out to your provider, to ensure that they are submitting your information,” Weaver said.
Weaver said those who have a condition on the comorbidity list will get a unique code from the Department of Health they can use to schedule their vaccination. She said once a health care provider submits someone's information to the state, it can take 24-48 hours for the person to be notified with that unique code.
Here's how to register for the vaccine:
1. Visit the IDOH vaccine map, found here.
2. Find your county on the map or the list on the right side of the page.
3. When you select your county, you will see a list of vaccine clinics. For example, in Monroe County, there are currently nine places where you can register to receive the vaccine.
4. Choose a location that is most convenient for you by clicking the name of the location. You will see a pop-up box titled "Vaccine Clinic" -- click the arrow on the right side of the pop-up box. That will take you to a new web page where you can register for that location. You will be asked to enter your birth date to verify that you are 50 or older, a healthcare worker, a first responder or (starting Monday) a teacher.
Having trouble registering?
Dial 211 from any phone for assistance from the IDOH.
For the latest news and resources about COVID-19, bookmark our Coronavirus In Indiana page here .
