Plans are developing to flesh out the #VaxToNormal effort announced Wednesday by the Greater Emporia Area Disaster Relief Fund.
The campaign will increase vaccination rates across the core KVOE listening area, including Lyon, Chase, Coffey, Greenwood, Morris, Osage and Wabaunsee counties, a well as Woodson County. On KVOE’s Newsmaker segment Thursday, Lyon County Public Health Emergency Preparedness Director Jennifer Millbern says early plans include a possible drive-thru clinic.
A date hasn’t been set.
#VaxToNormal will include pop-up clinics through Lyon County Public Health and Newman Regional Health. It will also include weekly prize drawings June 10-Sept. 10 as well as a grand prize drawing Sept. 10. Residents are invited to visit http://www.geadisasterrelieffund.org/ to register for those drawings. This comes with about 44 percent of Lyon County’s eligible population ages 16-plus now fully vaccinated. About 42 percent were fully vaccinated a week ago.
Future plans tentatively include a two-stage effort to improve summer vaccination rates as well as a specific “back-to-school” effort. The Disaster Relief Fund has been working with health agencies, pharmacies and educational institutions as well as groups representing under-vaccinated populations so far. It also plans to expand its effort to include businesses and nonprofit organizations as this project continues to take shape.
The GEADRF is a local collaboration of the Emporia Community Foundation, Emporia Main Street, KVOE, and the United Way of the Flint Hills. Representatives of the GEADRF and Newman Regional Health will join KVOE’s Newsmaker segment at 7:15 am Monday morning.
