Newsworthy

Dear Community Partners,

As we close our mass COVID-19 vaccine center at the Stormont Vail Events Center Friday, we continue to offer this important immunization to our patients and the community at the Stormont Vail Retail Pharmacy, 2252 S.W. 10^th Ave., just east of 10^th and MacVicar.

Through our events center location, our community has received more than 85,665 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, including both first and second doses. The vaccine offers the greatest opportunity for ending the COVID-19 pandemic – and providing individuals with a higher level of protection from COVID-19 illness, particularly severe illness and hospitalization.

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines reportedly also provide protection to variants of the virus, including the Delta variant which is causing a rise in positive COVID-19 cases in communities with low vaccination rates and low rates of prior infection.

Joseph Rogers, Pharmacy Manager, Stormont Vail Retail Pharmacy, said COVID-19 vaccines for patients and any community member still unvaccinated are available through the pharmacy. Individuals age 12 and older are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

“We have been reaching out by phone to the families of our 12- to 18-year-old patients just to let them know we have vaccine available,” says Joseph. “We are working through our patient list and will be contacting our older patients as well, but the younger population is our current focus.”

• To schedule a vaccine appointment, call (785) 270-0675 or (785) 235-8796.
• Walk-ins are welcome from 8:30m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
• Appointments take 20 to 30 minutes.

“The COVID vaccine is very similar to the other vaccines we administer at the pharmacy, so preparing for this has been very natural,” Joseph says. “Several of our pharmacy technicians recently became certified to be able to administer vaccines, which will help with the increased volume we expect to see.”

In addition to providing COVID-19 vaccines through the Stormont Vail Retail Pharmacy, they are offered to hospital inpatients, and patients seen in the Emergency Department.

Here are today’s updates:

• “To Your Health” on WIBW-TV Tonight
• Cruise Night to Benefit Children’s Miracle Network
• COVID-19 Updates

“To Your Health” on WIBW-TV Tonight
Dr. Sri Donepudi, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Quality Officer, will be featured on tonight’s “To Your Health” segment on WIBW-TV, Channel 13, to discuss the COVID-19 vaccine and changes at the Stormont Vail Vaccine Center. The segment will typically repeat at 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. Fridays on 13 News This Morning and be posted on wibw.com.

Cruise Night to Benefit Children’s Miracle Network
Sam’s Club on Wanamaker will host their Cruise Night to benefit Children’s Miracle Network at Stormont Vail Health at 6 p.m. Sunday, July 18. Volunteers are needed from 5:30-8:30 p.m.  If you are willing to volunteer for this wonderful event this year, please e-mail [email protected].

COVID-19 Updates
Here’s a look at today’s COVID-19 metrics:

• We have 8 inpatients who are COVID-19 positive today.
• We have 22 COVID-19 positive patients in the outpatient Enhanced Primary Care program.
• The percentage of patients testing positive for COVID-19 at Stormont Vail facilities is 6.0%.

We together,
Robert Kenagy, MD