Grand Forks enters Phase 1C, offers COVID-19 vaccines to essential workers and people with high-risk conditions

Mar. 8—Grand Forks County has opened up vaccine eligibility to people qualifying under Phase 1C, which includes many essential workers and people with one high-risk medical condition. With three COVID-19 vaccines now available in the community, Grand Forks Public Health is urging anyone who now qualifies for the vaccine to add their name to the waiting list.

Anyone in the following categories is encouraged to fill out the questionnaire at MyChart.altru.org or call 701-780-6358 to be included on the COVID-19 vaccine waitlist:

— National Guard, not previously covered.

— Workers enabling access to human food (i.e., grocery workers).

— Public safety answering points (911).

— Manufacturing related to the development or supply of COVID-19 vaccine.

— Other health care/public health workers not included in phase 1A.

— Free standing clinical laundries.

— Public transit, including bus, taxi, ride-share.

— Persons age 16-64 with one or more high-risk medical conditions.

— Blood bank workers not previously vaccinated.

— Information Technology.

— All other essential workers per Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)

People on the waitlist will be contacted when a vaccine appointment becomes available. Grand Forks Public Health and Altru Health System have already called Phase 1B to be vaccinated, and anyone qualifying under the earlier tiers who has not been vaccinated yet is encouraged to follow the above instructions to be put on the waiting list. More information about who qualifies for Phase 1B can be found here.

High-risk medical conditions include cancer, chronic kidney disease, COPD, Down Syndrome, heart conditions, immunocompromised state, obesity and severe obesity, pregnancy, sickle cell disease, smoking, and Type 2 diabetes mellitus. A complete list of high-risk conditions can be found on the CDC website.

After the county finishes vaccinating everyone in Phase 1C who would like to be vaccinated, vaccine appointments are expected to open up to the general public.

It's still too soon to know when vaccinations might become available for the general public, however, and a timeline will depend largely on federal allocation of COVID-19 vaccine doses. Grand Forks Public Health will continue to update which tiers have been called through local media and through their social media.

For more information:

— Grand Forks County COVID-19 dashboard

— Detailed priority group information

— North Dakota Department of Health COVID-19 dashboard

— High-risk medical condition information