Public Health hosts vaccine clinic

Crook County hosted its first large vaccine clinic last week when 350 people received a dose of Moderna in a single day. The by appointment-only clinic allows Crook County Public Health to catch up on the backlog caused by national weather issues a couple of weeks ago, which caused delivery to be delayed around the country.

The gymnasium at Central Office was converted into a vaccination clinic on Wednesday with assistance from EMS departments, Crook County Medical Services District, Emergency Management, the Sheriff’s Office and numerous volunteers. When the doors opened at 9 a.m., the first of the day’s patients were already patiently waiting outside, and they continued to arrive throughout the day until the last of the doses had been administered.

“I was really impressed,” commented Hugh Palmer, who received his second dose during the event. “It was very well organized, safe, efficient and fast – it just worked like a well-oiled machine.”

Vaccine Guidance

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has now released guidance as to what a person will be able to do after they have been fully vaccinated. Two weeks following your final dose, the CDC has confirmed it will be safe to gather indoors with other fully vaccinated people without wearing a mask or with unvaccinated people from one other household without masks (unless any of those people is at risk of severe illness).

If you have been around a person who has COVID-19, you will not need to stay away from others or get tested unless you have symptoms. This guidance does not apply to those who live in group settings, like a group home or detention facility.

The CDC still recommends taking steps to protect yourself and others by following social distancing guidelines, avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces and avoiding large-sized gatherings. CDC requirements and recommendations will still apply for travel.

“We’re still learning how effective the vaccines are against variants of the virus that causes COVID-19,” states the CDC website. “Early data show the vaccines may work against some variants but could be less effective against others.”

State orders dropped

Meanwhile, Governor Mark Gordon announced on Monday that Wyoming will be removing its statewide mask requirement and allowing bars, restaurants, theaters and gyms to resume normal operations on March 16. This reflects the state’s health metrics, which continue to improve.

“I thank the people of Wyoming for their commitment to keeping one another safe throughout this pandemic,” Governor Gordon said. “It is through their efforts that we have kept our schools and businesses operating and our economy moving forward. I ask all Wyoming citizens to continue to take personal responsibility for their actions and stay diligent as we look ahead to the warmer months and to the safe resumption of our traditional spring and summer activities.” 

According to the press release, the Governor continues to encourage Wyomingites to wear face coverings in indoor public spaces and to follow the best practices adopted by any business they visit to slow the spread of the virus. The face covering protocol will remain in place in K-12 schools as a safety measure

At this time, 124,220 first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Wyoming, including 972 in Crook County (as well as 60 for the staff and residents at Crook County Medical Services District.)