The hope of a do-over faded along with the year 2020. The drop of the Times Square ball meant nothing as the problems of the previous year stretched past the boundaries of the twelfth chime of the clock on New Years Eve.

With the new year comes the same problems; riots, protests, death and, of course, a world-wide pandemic. However, a possible solution has arisen from the ashes of 2020. A highly anticipated vaccine for the Coronavirus has arrived. But, the limited dosages render the vaccine closed to the general public.

“We will have to get the vaccines in much larger volumes to start our deliveries to the public at large,” Nurse Manager and Park County Incident Commander Mr. Bill Crampton said. “At this point I believe that this process will go on for the summer, but that is subject to change.”

Many worries have come up along with the new vaccine due to the haste with which it was concocted, and rumors have begun to grow.

“At this point, when getting the second dose of the vaccine, some are reporting chills, body aches and feeling run-down,” Mr. Crampton added. “These are the standard responses the body has to working on developing antibodies to a specific disease. Beyond that, there are very few folks who have had allergic reactions from the vaccine. Everyone else that I know of has recovered well.”

With teachers among the frontline workers, the vaccine is available to them. However, it still remains their option whether to receive the injection.

“I am not comfortable taking the vaccine because I am an expectant mother,” PHS science teacher Mrs. Kaitlin Loeffen said. “There is no to very little research or data supporting the vaccine is safe for pregnant women.”

“Given that I wasn’t pregnant, I would absolutely take the vaccine. I have spent my fair share of time researching the vaccine and would feel safe taking it with no concerns of serious side effects. I would expect a sore arm but would hope to help protect others who aren’t able to take the vaccine.”

Unfortunately, due to a mathematical error when it came to counting the doses of the vaccine the PHS staff members were unable to receive the vaccine until Jan. 20 (the original clinic was scheduled for Jan. 13.)

“I was informed that Public Health does not have the vaccines necessary to provide the schools with the vaccines …,”said Mr. Jay Curtis, Superintendent in an email. “ By Friday evening, as they share the vaccines with both hospitals, it was clear that there would not be enough stock on hand. Given that, we will have to cancel the clinics that were scheduled for this Wednesday [Jan. 13].”

Mr. Curtis additionally worked with public health to arrange the Jan. 20 clinic, which allowed 200 school district staff to receive the first shot.

The current list of people who have been prioritized for the vaccine are frontline workers and senior citizens who are of seventy years of age or older. For more information regarding the vaccine, priority list or how to sign up for the Covid-19 vaccine visit the links posted below:

 Click here for more information about the vaccine.

Park County

Wyoming Department of Health