Kansas moving to Phase 2 of COVID-19 vaccine distribution
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) - Kansas is moving statewide to Phase 2 of its COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan, including anyone from Phase 1 who hasn't been vaccinated yet, Gov. Laura Kelly announced Wednesday.
Phase 2 includes people ages 65 and older, congregate settings and high-contact critical workers.
High-contact critical workers include:
- Firefighters, police officers, first responders, and correction officers
- Grocery store workers and food services
- K-12 and childcare workers, including teachers, custodians, drivers, and other staff
- Food processing, including meat processing plants
- Large-scale aviation manufacturing plants
- Transportation workers
- Workers in retail, agriculture, supply of critical services or materials for COVID-19 response, the U.S. Postal Service, and Department of motor vehicles
Congregated settings include:
- Homeless shelters
- Congregate childcare institutions
- Emergency shelters or safe houses
- Corrections facilities
- Behavioral health institutions
“After moving quickly to vaccinate close to 130,000 frontline health care workers and Kansas seniors, my administration has worked with local health departments and providers to prepare to move Kansas into Phase 2,” Gov. Kelly said in a news release. “While it’s important to remember that the rate of vaccinations will be dependent on the amount we receive from the federal government, we use every tool available to make vaccine delivery transparent, efficient, and fast in order to reach as many Kansans as possible.”
In a news release, Kelly said around 1 million Kansans are in Phase 2, but the next weekly supply of vaccine from the federal government has around 45,000 new first doses. This means not everyone in Phase 2 will be able to receive their vaccine immediately.
She said each county, through local health departments, will decide how their limited supply of the doses will be allocated by population groups.
Gov. Kelly is expected to announce more on Thursday.