HANCOCK COUNTY — The county’s four COVID-19 vaccination sites, along with those across the state, are now accepting appointments for individuals age 65 and older.
The state Department of Health announced the expansion Monday, adding the new age group after previously making all residents ages 70 and older and health-care workers eligible for shots.
The decision came as Hancock County’s COVID-19 deaths rose to 109 after adding a fatality on Jan. 29 and another on Jan. 31. Both were women in their 80s.
COVID-19 vaccinations are available at no cost. Appointments can be made at the website ourshot.in.gov or by calling the state’s 2-1-1 telephone assistance service.
Vaccination sites in Hancock County are located at Hancock Regional Hospital, the Hancock County Health Department and Kroger Pharmacy, all in Greenfield; as well as the Meijer pharmacy in McCordsville. While links to sign up at all locations are on the state’s website, the 2-1-1 call center can only help with appointments made through the state’s system, which the hospital and health department use.
Those receiving a vaccination do not have to get it in their county of residence.
As of early Monday, more than 8,000 Hancock County residents had received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccination, and more than 2,500 were fully vaccinated. Statewide, more than 562,000 had received a first dose, and more than 143,000 were fully vaccinated.
Indiana officials have based shot eligibility on age rather than moving up the priority list teachers and other essential workers, as other states have done. They cite statistics that those ages 60 and older represent 93% of Indiana’s COVID-19 deaths and 64% of hospitalizations, arguing that vaccinating those people will have the biggest impact.
More than 95% of people who have died from COVID-19 complications in Hancock County were 60 and older.
The coronavirus has killed nearly 10,000 people in Indiana, with almost 60% of those deaths in the past three months during the state’s most lethal surge, according to state health department statistics.
Hancock County added 29 COVID-19 cases Monday, raising its total to just under 7,000. Another 313 tests brought that total to more than 82,000.
Indiana added more than 1,700 cases Monday, raising its total to more than 628,000.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
