Covid-19 vaccine arrives in Portage County

The wait for a Covid-19 vaccine is over for Portage County’s frontline medical workers.

On Wednesday, University Hospitals announced it had administered the first vaccines at UH Portage, in line with the distribution priorities set by the Ohio Health Department, the CDC and other institutions.

“UH caregivers, regardless of their role, with the greatest risks of exposure to Covid-19 positive patients, are among the first groups to receive the vaccination,” UH spokeswoman Carly Belsterlingsaid in a statement Wednesday afternoon. “More than 17,000 healthcare givers have filled out a survey requesting the vaccine, and we will be working to vaccinate all of these UH caregivers as vaccine doses become available.”

Others in the “phase 1A” group, first in line to receive the vaccine, include residents and staff of assisted living facilities, people living in veterans’ homes, those living in mental health facilities and emergency first responders.

“We are proud of our caregivers in clinical and nonclinical positions for their dedication to patients during this critical time,” Belsterling said. “Now that we have received vaccines and begun distribution, we are doing the work to bring this pandemic to an end.”