Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Tippecanoe Health Department Says Vaccine Rollout Won’t Begin Until Monday

Courtesy Indiana Department of Health

The Tippecanoe County Health Department will begin vaccinating residents 80 and older starting on Monday as part of the state’s vaccine rollout.

State health officials announced earlier this week that they would begin vaccinations as early as Friday but local officials say they will need more time to prepare.

Khala Hochstedler, the administrator for the Tippecanoe County Health Department, said vaccines will be given by appointment only.

“You’ll stay in your car,” she said. “You’ll call a number and notify us that you’re here. And we’ll say yes or no come in.”

Hochstedler said appointments will also be available to public safety and healthcare workers who have not yet received a vaccination. She said the goal is to ramp up towards about 200 vaccinations every day.

“We do feel like we’re prepared to handle this,” she said. “While Monday may not be the smoothest day because we’re not going to get a trial run so Monday will be the trial run we are prepared for this.”

By Monday, the department expects to have 1,000 doses of the vaccine.

Across the state, roughly 128,000 residents have been vaccinated as of this week.

State health officials say they hope to have 300,000 vaccinated by the end of the month.

Hochstedler urged residents to help elders in the community get registered - either through the state’s website or by calling 2-1-1.

“If you have loved ones that are 80 and older, please help them register and not call the local health department’s phone line,” she said. “We do not have the staff and the capacity to help register everyone in the community.”

You can find a link to the state’s website here