Military retirees who depend on the Medical Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base for health care are awaiting details on when and where they may be able to get the coronavirus vaccine.
Cheryl Davis, whose father, Retired Col. James Fleck, 89, and her mother, Eleanor Fleck, 85, go to the Medical Center for their health care and want the vaccine when it is available, but so far there has been little or no information on when it might be coming.
“My biggest concern is they both use walkers and we’re trying to figure out how that’s going to work when its time for them to go to get the vaccine,” Davis said.
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Davis said she has seen news coverage of first-come, first-serve vaccine distribution in other states and fears Ohio may have that too, forcing people to wait in very long lines for many hours.
“I saw the pictures from Florida and I said…ugh. I do not want that for my parents. I do not want that,” Davis said.
In an interview with News Center 7, Gov. Mike DeWine said he does not control the vaccine distribution at the base, but added he would hope that it goes smoothly. When asked about the fear of those long lines forming in Ohio, DeWine said he plans on having multiple options for people to get the vaccine.
“We have some of this vaccine going to physicians, some going to health departments, some of its going to be distributed by the National Guard in a drive-thru manner so you’ll be able to choose,” DeWine said.
A spokesperson for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base said details on the distribution of the vaccine through the Medical Center will be coming soon. It is already going to medical personnel there. A schedule for distribution to retirees has not been published yet.
DeWine’s schedule for distribution of the vaccine for people over age 80 starts next Tuesday.
“On the 19th we are going to start vaccinating people in Ohio who are 80 years old or older. And that’s besides people who are in nursing homes, people who are out, not in a nursing home. The people who are most vulnerable and that’s where we’ve seen the most deaths. In fact, 86 percent of all of the deaths have come from people over the age of 80,” DeWine said.
Cox Media Group
