TUSCARAWAS COUNTY, Ohio — The Tuscarawas County Public Health has created a waitlist for individuals who may not qualify for a vaccine yet under the state’s COVID-19 vaccination rollout plan but are looking to receive the vaccination in an attempt to not waste unused vaccines.
The health department said that it held a successful vaccine clinic Saturday for those 80 and older but unfortunately had 14 no-show appointments.
While working down their waitlist, the health department found that about 50% of the individuals contacted already received their vaccine somewhere else.
TCHD said while that is good news, the vaccine vials are only good for six hours, and the process to find other individuals to receive the vaccine takes time and could end up wasting the vaccine.
In order to avoid any waste in the future, TCHD created a “No Waste Waitlist” that will be used only in situations where a vaccine dose is at risk for waste.
Anyone 18 or older can register for the waitlist online.
TCHD said the waitlist is not a guarantee for a vaccine and the department will still try to fill the spots with eligible persons in the state’s rollout plan first, but non-priority individuals are eligible to receive the 'No Waste' vaccines, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Those contacted from the No Waste Waitlist will likely be required to arrive at the clinic within 40 minutes or less from the time they are notified.
Individuals who can not make their appointment or who have already received a vaccine elsewhere are reminded to contact the department to be removed from the waitlist.
To sign up for the No Waste Waitlist, click here.
