The first COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson are now being rolled out across the Tri-State. Some states and regions have different rules about who's eligible and how to sign up. Here's what you need to know:
Where do I go to sign up for a vaccine?
Some regions have online sign-up pages, and some do not. Some require a survey to gauge how great the demand is for the vaccine in given areas, and some regions are taking applications and appointments now.
Here's some guidance for the Tri-State region and, if possible, where to sign up for your vaccine:
- Hamilton County Health Department has a link to register on their website. The county will contact those who are eligible based on your information.
- Cincinnati Health Department has a form to register for an appointment, but only for those in the appropriate phase of the vaccine roll-out. Anyone can add information to this form at any time, but the health department has suggested people wait until their phase has opened.
- Clermont County is currently focusing on those in Ohio's Phase 1B category: older adults living in congregate or overcrowded settings and those at higher risk to the virus because of underlying conditions. They don't have a registration page set up yet but told WCPO it should be coming soon.
- Butler County has a survey people can fill out, but the survey is not a way to schedule a shot. It's merely a tool to evaluate need in the area. They're currently serving those in Phases 1A and 1B. Click here to view requirements and sign up information for Butler County.
- Warren County is currently only registering agencies and organizations, no individuals. To register for a vaccine in Warren County, you'll likely need to go through your employer to register.
- The Northern Kentucky Health Department, in partnership with St. Elizabeth Healthcare and HealthPoint Family Care, is now offering appointments for people in Phase 1B, including people 70 and older, first responders and K-12 school personnel. People over 70 can sign up for a vaccine here, but K-12 personnel will make their St. E appointments through their school district.
- In Indiana, the state is coordinating the entire vaccination roll-out, so those who qualify can visit the state's page to find a vaccination site in their specific location and register from there.
Who's eligible for a vaccine, and when?
Each state has its own plan and identification for who qualifies in certain COVID-19 vaccine phases.
Ohio
- Phase 1A: Vaccinating high-risk health care workers and first responders.
- 1B: Older adults living in congregate or overcrowded settings and people at a significantly higher risk to COVID-19 because of comorbidities or underlying conditions. Some Ohio counties are providing vaccinations to those in 1B, so it's important to check your specific region.
- 2: Critical risk workers, like healthcare and public health operations and human services operations, as well as those at high risk of exposure. Also included in Phase 2: Teachers and school staff; people of all ages with comorbid and underlying conditions; all older adults not included in Phase 1; people in homeless shelters; people in group homes for individuals with physical or mental disabilities or in recovery; people and staff in prisons, jails, detention centers.
- 3: Young adults, children and all workers in industries and occupations important to the functioning of society and at increased risk of exposure who were not included in phases 1 and 2.
- 4: All Ohioans who did not have access to the vaccine in previous phases.
Ohioans can use this online tool to determine if they are eligible for a vaccine or call 1-833-427-5634.
Indiana
- Phase 1A: All patient-facing health care personnel. Any physician seeing patients in any field from surgeons to dermatologists to licensed social workers and everything in between currently qualify. Long-term care facility residents in both independent and assisted-living facilities, group homes and nursing homes, first responders and corrections workers are in Phase1A.
- 1B: People aged 80 or older qualified as of Jan. 6.
- Indiana residents age 50 or older were eligible to receive the vaccine as of early March.
For more information on vaccine eligibility in Indiana, click or tap here.
Kentucky
- Phase 1A: Vaccinating residents and staff in long-term care facilities, as well as frontline health care personnel.
- 1B: Anyone age 70 or older, first responders, K-12 school personnel and, as of Feb. 15, childcare workers.
- 1C: As of March 1, all essential workers, anyone age 60 or older, and anyone age 16 or older with CDC highest risk COVID-19 risk conditions. A list of those conditions can be found here.
- 2: Anyone age 40 or older.
- 3: Anyone age 16 or older. As of April 5, all Kentuckians 16 and older are eligible to receive Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine, the only vaccine authorized by the FDA for use in people under 18. Additionally, Kentuckians 18 and up qualify for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.
- 4: Children under 16 will be eligible for a vaccine in Phase 4, provided the FDA approves a vaccine for children.
You must have an appointment to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, and you can schedule online now atwww.kroger.com/covidvaccine or at www.kycovid19.ky.gov, or by phone at (866) 211-5320. You will also be able to schedule a second booster dose appointment at the same location.
Not sure when you're eligible? You can take an online survey to find out at vaccine.ky.gov, or call Kentucky's vaccine hotline, (855) 598-2246 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Only Kentucky residents are eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine in Kentucky.
You can find a full list of Kentucky vaccination sites on this interactive map.
Are more vaccines coming?
Right now, the FDA has given emergency use authorization only to Pfizer's, Moderna's and Johnson & Johnson's coronavirus vaccines for people 16 and older. AstraZeneca is currently in trials for its own COVID-19 vaccine.
