Klamath Tribes administer COVID-19 vaccines

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CHILOQUIN, Ore. - Employees from Klamath Tribal Health received shipments of the Tribes’ first COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday. Today, nurses issued the first doses to frontline health care workers, to remain available for the Klamath Tribal members as the pandemic continues.

Nurse Supervisor, Misty Wadzeck RN, and Brandy Rogers CMA administered the first doses of the vaccine to medical staff Kimmie McNair and Lena Schonchin.

Initial doses are also being prioritized to high-risk tribal members, with more vaccine is anticipated to be arriving within the next week. 

“Klamath Tribal Health and the Klamath Tribes have faced the COVID pandemic together,” said a press release from Klamath Tribal Health. “[We] will continue to do this together, and in this case, we even vaccinated together.”

The medical team believes in the safety of this vaccine and will soon distribute information regarding facts and myths.

On the heels of the vaccinations, Klamath County Public Health announced 49 new cases of COVID-19 in the county today and one new death. This week’s count is 102.

The deceased was a 58-year-old man who died at Sky Lakes Medical Center on December 20. He had underlying health conditions.

16 People, related to COVID-19, have now died in Klamath County since the begging of the pandemic.

If you are a tribal member interested in a COVID vaccine (and are over 65 years of age, or are high risk) please call the wellness center at 541-882-1487 to be placed on the list for the COVID vaccine.