400 vaccines received in Madison County

Between Jan. 17-24, Madison County reported 21 new coronavirus cases. Seventy residents are currently quarantined and 29 were required to quarantine within the past seven days. Two individuals are hospitalized, one new from last week’s update.

Madison County Public Health Department (MCPHD) meets weekly with both hospitals in the county to discuss vaccines.

“Currently both facilities have moved on to the Phase 1B vaccinations and they both have a waitlist that people just call to get on that are in that 1B,” Madison County Public Health Nurse Melissa Brummell said.

Madison County receives between 100-200 vaccines total each week. All the supply is being used and as the vaccination arrives, hospitals call and schedule individuals on the waitlist to receive the vaccine.

Brummell, using Gov. Greg Gianforte’s new vaccine dashboard, verified that just shy of 400 vaccines have been received in Madison County. Thirty-one residents are fully immunized, having received the initial and second shots. Brummell expects a good quantity of residents to receive their second shots over the next couple of weeks.

“Slowly but surely,” she said.

Brummell mentioned the hospitals are prudent in not letting the vaccine go to waste. Once a ten-dose vial is opened, the inoculations must be used within six hours, she said.