The Indiana Department of Health announced Monday that residents aged 65 and older can register to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Eligible individuals can call 211 or visit ourshot.in.gov to register for the vaccine. According to the Indiana Department of Health, there are currently 259 vaccination sites in the state including some Kroger, Meijer and Walmart pharmacies.
According to the Indy Star, people trying to register for vaccines experienced long wait times and errors on the phone and website after eligibility was expanded. State officials have asked for patience and recommended calling later in the day because afternoons may have lower traffic, the Indy Star also reported.
Because of a limited supply of vaccines, Indiana has prioritized health care workers and first responders. After this priority group received the vaccine, Indiana switched to an age-based vaccination approach.
According to the Indy Star, Indiana residents aged 80 and older were allowed to register first, followed by people aged 70 and older. As of Jan. 27, Indiana health officials reported 51% of Indiana residents 80 and over and 57% of Indiana residents aged 70 and older had been vaccinated, according to the Indy Star.
According to the Indiana Department of Health, 93.3% of deaths and 64.1% hospitalizations for COVID-19 come from those over the age of 60, despite the age group being only 22.5% of Indiana’s population.
Appointments for the second dose of the vaccine will be scheduled after the first dose has been given.
