LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Clark County and Southern Nevada Health District representatives provided updated vaccine clinic information and more during a press conference today.
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Here are the bullet points from the Southern Nevada Health District COVID-19 Update:
• As of March 3, 2021, there have been 489,600 COVID-19 vaccines administered in Clark County. (325,120 first doses and 164,480-second doses.)
• Eligibility was expanded this week to include all the remaining categories within the Frontline Community Support Group and to the Frontline Supply Chain & Logistics Group. In addition to people in these occupation categories, groups currently eligible to receive the vaccine include people 65 years of age and older, health care workers, and those in the public safety and security frontline group.
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• Beginning next Tuesday, March 9, hours of operation will be expanded at Health District COVID19 vaccination sites.
• The Health District’s 280 Decatur clinic reserves appointments for people 70 years of age and older and those with mobility issues. Beginning March 9, the clinic will have appointments starting at 7 a.m. The Las Vegas Convention Center Site and Cashman Center hours of operation will also expand, with the last appointments available at 5:30 p.m., and 6 p.m. respectively.
• The Southern Nevada Health District has not received its first shipment of the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine. It is important to note that Janssen is the pharmaceutical company manufacturing the vaccine and is owned by Johnson & Johnson. When people begin receiving this vaccine, their vaccine card will read “Janssen” not “Johnson & Johnson.” The Health District will refer to the vaccine as “Janssen” following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration.
• The Janssen vaccine has proven to be a safe and highly effective vaccine for preventing serious illness and hospitalizations, in addition to preventing illness.
• The data for the Janssen vaccine is not comparable to the other vaccines. Vaccines can only be compared in head-to-head clinical trials, which did not occur. The Janssen vaccine was found to be 89 percent effective at preventing severe disease, and in trial, 100 percent effective at preventing death.
• All the authorized vaccines are more than 50 percent effective in preventing COVID-19. A vaccine with at least 50 percent efficacy is found to have a significant impact on disease – both for the individual receiving the vaccine and at the community level.
• The Janssen vaccine can be a good option for those individuals and groups that may not come back for a second dose.
• Decisions on how to best use the vaccine will also be based on how many doses will be available and the allotments the Health District receives.
• What is most important is that all three vaccines that are currently authorized for use have been found safe and effective. The best vaccine for someone to get is the one that is available to them.
Second Doses and Eligible Groups
• If people do get the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, it is important for them to get their second dose within the recommended timeframes.
• The first dose of the vaccine starts building protection from the virus that causes COVID-19. The second dose is needed to get the most protection the vaccine has to offer. While there has been information that first doses can provide a significant level of protection, there is not enough information to say how long that protection will last without the second dose.
• People may also be hesitant to get the second dose of the vaccine because they hear the side effects may be more pronounced. Some people do experience more side effects after their second shot. However, these are normal signs that the body is building an immune response against the virus. The most commonly reported side effects include: pain at the injection site, fever, chills, tiredness, or a headache. These typically resolve within a day or two.
• Second dose appointments are available on the Health District website for people who were vaccinated at a Health District or partner clinic.
• It is recommended that the second dose of vaccine should be administered as close to the 21- (Pfizer) and 28-day (Moderna) intervals as possible. The vaccines are not interchangeable.
• The state call center is available to answer questions and assist those who may need help making an appointment. The call center is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and can be reached at 1-800-401-0946.
• For the sites of the current Health District and partner PODS (points of distribution) go to www.snhd.info/covid.
