KOOTENAI COUNTY, Idaho — Kootenai Health in Coeur d'Alene announced that it is expanding COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to include some people with medical conditions.
The hospital said it expanded appointment eligibility due to "large quantities of vaccines available." Anyone ages 18 to 64 who lives and works in Idaho, and has at least one "increased risk medical condition," is now eligible.
This comes after Panhandle Health District announced last week that Group 2.3, including grocery store workers and other frontline personnel, was eligible for the vaccine in North Idaho. The state as a whole plans to move into Group 2.3 on March 15, with vaccines for people with high-risk medical conditions slated to begin in early April.
Katherine Hoyer with PHD said the state is allowing health districts to move ahead in vaccine phases "if they feel that's necessary."
Vaccine providers in North Idaho say that although they are getting an increased amount of COVID-19 doses each week, less people are signing up for appointments.
"When we started to see that slow down of people scheduling appointments, that's when we knew we have to move forward in the phases," Hoyer said.
She said the next stage of eligibility should include different ages, and the Idaho State Department of Health and Welfare agreed. In a press conference today, DHW announced their plan for Phase 3.
It included vaccinations for ages 16-64 with at least one increased risk medical condition. They said Phase 3 should begin later this month.
Increased risk medical conditions outlined by Kootenai Health include:
- Cancer
- Chronic kidney disease
- COPD
- Down syndrome
- Heart conditions such as heart failure
- Immunocompromised state
- Obesity BMI >30 /Severe obesity BMI> 40
- Pregnancy
- Sickle cell disease
- Smoking
- Type 2 diabetes
- Asthma
- Cerebrovascular disease
- Cystic fibrosis
- Hypertension or high blood pressure
While Kootenai Health is allowed to expand beyond phase 2.3, other vaccine clinics in the Panhandle have not moved forward to add people with these underlying health conditions.
"We're excited to be offering the vaccine to another phase and just moving forward," Hoyer said.
Kootenai Health releases approximately 1,000 vaccines appointments every week. The hospital opens a new block of appointments for the following week every Wednesday at 4 p.m.
PHD will be following Kootenai Health's eligibility guidelines in a few weeks, she added.
Patients will need to attest to their medical condition in making their appointment, Kootenai Health wrote on its website. Those looking to schedule an appointment can do so online. A limited number of same-day appointments may open each day if the hospital has "no-shows."
Vaccines are still available at Kootenai Health for those in previous groups, including corrections, food and agriculture, U.S. Postal Service, public transit and grocery store workers. The previous groups also include healthcare workers, Pre-K-12 school employees, childcare workers, and adults ages 65 and older.