The mission of the Health Department is to promote, protect and improve the health and wellness of individuals and communities in La Paz County.
Update on Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine:
The Johnson & Johnson clinic scheduled for April 21st is still on hold. The La Paz County Health Department will still be at the Parker High School between 4:00PM – 6:00PM with MODERNA.
*If anyone has missed their second dose, we will be accepting walk-ins. If you have any questions, please call the Health Department at 928-669-1100.
NEWS RELEASE
Douglas A. Ducey | Governor Cara M. Christ, MD, MS | Director
Arizona Department of Health Services Recommends Pause in Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine
ADHS is following recommendations from the CDC and FDA to pause the use of the vaccine
PHOENIX ‒ The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) today announced it is recommending a pause in the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine based on recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The CDC and FDA are recommending a pause in the use of the vaccine based on six reported U.S. cases, out of 6.8 million doses administered nationally, of a rare and severe type of blood clot in individuals after receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
So far in Arizona, 226,300 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine have been allocated in Arizona, with approximately 122,000 administered. ADHS is working with local public health departments and community partners to communicate the recommended pause in Johnson & Johnson vaccine administration. Providers may still administer the Johnson & Johnson vaccine if they feel it is clinically appropriate after a discussion with their patient.
“While the occurrence of this rare blood clot are extremely rare compared to the number of doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine administered nationwide, we are following the guidance of the CDC and FDA out of an abundance of caution and we will continue to work with our federal and statewide partners about the status of the vaccine,” said Dr. Cara Christ, ADHS director. “The COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective and is one of the best tools we have to reduce the spread of the disease in Arizona. I encourage everyone to get vaccinated against COVID-19.”
According to the CDC, all six cases of the blood clot cases were in women between the ages of 18 and 48. Symptoms occurred 6 to 13 days after vaccination. People who have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine who develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their health care provider. The federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will meet on Wednesday and will provide further guidance to states.
Douglas A. Ducey | Governor Cara M. Christ, MD, MS | Director
Arizona Department of Health Services Recommends Pause in Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine
ADHS is following recommendations from the CDC and FDA to pause the use of the vaccine
PHOENIX ‒ The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) today announced it is recommending a pause in the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine based on recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The CDC and FDA are recommending a pause in the use of the vaccine based on six reported U.S. cases, out of 6.8 million doses administered nationally, of a rare and severe type of blood clot in individuals after receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
So far in Arizona, 226,300 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine have been allocated in Arizona, with approximately 122,000 administered. ADHS is working with local public health departments and community partners to communicate the recommended pause in Johnson & Johnson vaccine administration. Providers may still administer the Johnson & Johnson vaccine if they feel it is clinically appropriate after a discussion with their patient.
“While the occurrence of this rare blood clot are extremely rare compared to the number of doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine administered nationwide, we are following the guidance of the CDC and FDA out of an abundance of caution and we will continue to work with our federal and statewide partners about the status of the vaccine,” said Dr. Cara Christ, ADHS director. “The COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective and is one of the best tools we have to reduce the spread of the disease in Arizona. I encourage everyone to get vaccinated against COVID-19.”
According to the CDC, all six cases of the blood clot cases were in women between the ages of 18 and 48. Symptoms occurred 6 to 13 days after vaccination. People who have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine who develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their health care provider. The federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will meet on Wednesday and will provide further guidance to states.
Upcoming Second Dose Covid-19 Vaccinations:
Quartzsite Community Center
Thursday 4/22/21
Starts at 1 pm
1st dose given 3/25/21
Parker High School
Wednesday 4/28/21
Starts at 4pm
1st dose given 3/31/21
Thursday 4/22/21
Starts at 1 pm
1st dose given 3/25/21
Parker High School
Wednesday 4/28/21
Starts at 4pm
1st dose given 3/31/21
Governor Ducey Releases New Executive Orders 4/20/21:
- Executive Order 2021-09 bans vaccine passports and prevents state and local governments from requiring Arizonans to provide their COVID-19 vaccination status to receive a service or enter an area.
- Healthcare institutions are still permitted to require documentation of COVID-19 vaccination status from patients, residents, employees, or visitors
- State and local health departments are still permitted to require an individual to provide documentation of their COVID-19 vaccination status during a COVID-19 outbreak investigation
- Schools, childcare facilities, and universities are still permitted to require a student's vaccination records
- The Executive Order is here and press release is here.
- Executive Order 2021-10 removes mask requirements in schools by rescinding paragraph 5 of EO 2020-51 and directing ADHS to amend existing emergency measures to be consistent with this executive order.
- As reflected in Emergency Measure 2021-02, Emergency Measure 2020-04 has been rescinded. ADHS continues to encourage K-12 schools to take actions consistent with all CDC recommendations and guidance.
- K-12 schools still maintain the right to institute and enforce policies to mitigate COVID-19, including the use of masks.
- CDC operational strategies for K-12 schools, which ADHS continues to recommend, emphasized the universal and correct use of masks in schools as part of a layered approach to COVID-19 prevention.
- EO 2021-10 is here and the press release is here.
Arizona National Guard Assists La Paz County Health Department Vaccination Clinics
***Please Note: We have heard some states will NOT provide a second Covid-19 dose if the first dose was not administered in that state. Please check with your state health department if you are not from Arizona and will not be getting your 2nd dose in La Paz County.
False Claims of Spoiled Vaccines
February 26th, 2021
A recent newscast has had people calling the La Paz County Health Department, concerned they might have received a “spoiled” vaccine. “We would like to put these fears to rest,” said nursing supervisor, Diana Grazier. “No one has received a spoiled vaccine.”
Several Phoenix news stations contacted the La Paz County Health Department last week, regarding a waste report that was submitted to the Arizona Department of Health Services in early January. Wastage of valuable COVID-19 vaccines have been a national concern, ever since the rollout. The news stations asked why the waste occurred and what steps were being taken to make sure it never happens again.
“Those are valid questions,” said Grazier, “as vaccine wastage often occurs because something was done wrong, such as improper storage, vaccine drawn up and not used, or reaching the expiration date before it was used. None of those things occurred.”
The very first shipment of vaccine (100 doses) arrived in late December. When nurse, Jamie Enriquez, opened the box, she noticed the TagAlert sensor that accompanies the vaccine had a Red “X” on it indicating there had been a temperature excursion during transport. When something like this occurs, the protocol is to refrigerate/freeze it, label it clearly “DO NOT USE,” and call the ADHS for further instruction. ADHS reached out to the CDC and the manufacturer of the vaccine, and they determined it should be disposed of. An internal investigation continued for a few weeks by McKesson, the distributor of the vaccine. They determined there may have been a malfunction of the sensor, but by that time the vaccine had been removed.
The news stations also asked how it made everyone feel when this happened, especially with the first shipment. “It was heartbreaking,” Jamie Enriquez said. Health Officer, Marion Shontz, also concurs. “We were ready to hit the ground running. The doses were replaced, but we were a week behind everybody else.” The wastage reports do not clarify the reason, and the term “waste” has a negative ring to it as though something was done in error that caused it to occur. “It was beyond our control,” Jamie Enriquez stated. “We have never wasted a single dose that could have gone into someone’s arm.”
There are logistical issues with RNA vaccines. Moderna vaccine does not require the ultracold units like Pfizer, but it still needs special monitoring. Once removed from the freezer and placed in a refrigerator, the expiration date changes to 30 days. Once a vial is opened it must be used in 6 hours. Health Departments are used to monitoring vaccines. There are over 15 different vaccines in stock, and they all require their own rules of storage and administration.
For any other questions or concerns with this matter, please call the La Paz County Health Department at (928)-669-1100.
February 26th, 2021
A recent newscast has had people calling the La Paz County Health Department, concerned they might have received a “spoiled” vaccine. “We would like to put these fears to rest,” said nursing supervisor, Diana Grazier. “No one has received a spoiled vaccine.”
Several Phoenix news stations contacted the La Paz County Health Department last week, regarding a waste report that was submitted to the Arizona Department of Health Services in early January. Wastage of valuable COVID-19 vaccines have been a national concern, ever since the rollout. The news stations asked why the waste occurred and what steps were being taken to make sure it never happens again.
“Those are valid questions,” said Grazier, “as vaccine wastage often occurs because something was done wrong, such as improper storage, vaccine drawn up and not used, or reaching the expiration date before it was used. None of those things occurred.”
The very first shipment of vaccine (100 doses) arrived in late December. When nurse, Jamie Enriquez, opened the box, she noticed the TagAlert sensor that accompanies the vaccine had a Red “X” on it indicating there had been a temperature excursion during transport. When something like this occurs, the protocol is to refrigerate/freeze it, label it clearly “DO NOT USE,” and call the ADHS for further instruction. ADHS reached out to the CDC and the manufacturer of the vaccine, and they determined it should be disposed of. An internal investigation continued for a few weeks by McKesson, the distributor of the vaccine. They determined there may have been a malfunction of the sensor, but by that time the vaccine had been removed.
The news stations also asked how it made everyone feel when this happened, especially with the first shipment. “It was heartbreaking,” Jamie Enriquez said. Health Officer, Marion Shontz, also concurs. “We were ready to hit the ground running. The doses were replaced, but we were a week behind everybody else.” The wastage reports do not clarify the reason, and the term “waste” has a negative ring to it as though something was done in error that caused it to occur. “It was beyond our control,” Jamie Enriquez stated. “We have never wasted a single dose that could have gone into someone’s arm.”
There are logistical issues with RNA vaccines. Moderna vaccine does not require the ultracold units like Pfizer, but it still needs special monitoring. Once removed from the freezer and placed in a refrigerator, the expiration date changes to 30 days. Once a vial is opened it must be used in 6 hours. Health Departments are used to monitoring vaccines. There are over 15 different vaccines in stock, and they all require their own rules of storage and administration.
For any other questions or concerns with this matter, please call the La Paz County Health Department at (928)-669-1100.
La Paz County School Districts Covid Benchmarks:
Effective June 29, 2020, organized public events of more than 50 people are prohibited unless the city, town, or county in unincorporated areas has approved the event, and only if adequate safety precautions are implemented, including physical distancing measures.
Due to recommended physical distancing, the following vaccination changes are currently taking place:
- Immunization Services: Starting March 24 immunization will be by “Appointment Only” rather than Walk-In. No children or parents with cough, cold, or fever will be accepted.
- Family Planning Services: Clients currently receiving Birth Control can continue to receive refills and Depo injections, but no new clients will be accepted, and routine Annual visits will be suspended until further notice
- STD and/or HIV testing: By appointment only.
La Paz Regional Hospital Offering
Rapid COVID-19 Testing!
We want to make sure you have the latest on COVID-19!
Daily updates on the number of cases can also be found at azhealth.gov/COVID19.
Daily updates on the number of cases can also be found at azhealth.gov/COVID19.
April 21st
COVID-19 Update:
Confirmed Cases: 853,761
Arizona Deaths: 17,153
April 21st
COVID-19 Update:
Confirmed Cases: 853,761
Arizona Deaths: 17,153
LA PAZ COUNTY |
2,452 |
MARICOPA COUNTY |
526,890 |
PINAL COUNTY |
49,996 |
PIMA COUNTY |
113,253 |
NAVAJO COUNTY |
15,747 |
GRAHAM |
5,370 |
COCONINO COUNTY |
17,221 |
SANTA CRUZ |
7,851 |
YAVAPAI |
18,377 |
YUMA |
36,814 |
APACHE |
11,202 |
COCHISE |
11,669 |
MOHAVE |
22,252 |
GILA |
6,573 |
GREENLEE |
567 |
-March and April 2021-
COVID-19 Press Releases
To support businesses of all sizes during this public health crisis, the Arizona Commerce Authority has created a COVID-19 Toolkit. This toolkit is filled with several resources for Arizona businesses. This document is included below:
PLAN, PREPARE AND RESPOND RESOURCES
What should you do if you get sick?
Stay home and call your healthcare provider before seeking healthcare and let them know about your symptoms. If your provider says you are not sick enough to be hospitalized, you can recover at home.
Follow CDC instructions for how to take care of yourself at home:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/steps-when-sick.html
Get medical attention immediately if you have any of the emergency warning signs listed below:
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath,
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest,
- New confusion or inability to arouse,
- Bluish lips or face.
The Health Department is asking you continue the following healthy practices, to help from possibly contracting the flu or COVID-19:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then immediately throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
For more information about the outbreak, visit the ADHS coronavirus website at www.azdhs.gov/coronavirus or the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/COVID19 .
1112 Joshua Ave, Suite #206
Parker, AZ 85344 Phone: 928-669-1100 Hours: M-Th 7am-6pm |
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