The next two weeks are critical for Riley County to avoid a bump, or increase in COVID-19 numbers. Key to preventing that development will be for people to get vaccinated during that time frame. The advice was provided by Ascension Via Christi CEO Bob Copple during a Manhattan Area Recovery Task Force meeting.
According to information provided by participants during that session about 25,000 doses of vaccine have been administered in Riley County, but some of those went to residents of other area counties. Approximately 30% of the Riley County community has responded to be vaccinated and that number needs to increase to about 80%.
The Riley County Health Department has vaccinated more than 11,700 people with another 7,500-plus receiving the first of two doses. Next week all first doses will be administered at the Health Department and they will be at Pottorf Hall on Thursdays and sometimes Fridays for boosters and second shots. The week of May 5th all of the vaccine efforts will be moved to the Health Department. You can sign up online for an appointment. Vaccines are also available at other locations.
There was a consensus during the meeting that things are trending in the right direction, with the amount of COVID-19 vaccines circulating in the community.