Parkview Health administered its first COVID-19 vaccine Monday at 12:09 PM. Just a few hours later, the US marked its 300,000th death from the illness.
In northeast Indiana, there were 475 new cases and four new deaths reported from the disease.
The Parkview Mirro Center is being used as a vaccination hub for getting healthcare workers in Allen, Huntington and Whitley counties their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Parkview Health was chosen to receive the vaccine because of its ability to store it at the necessary sub-zero temperatures.
Michelle Charles is the vice president of nursing informatics at Parkview and led the planning and set-up of the vaccination clinic.
“We did get our first doses this morning around seven o’clock in the morning and we were very excited about that," Charles said.
In northeast Indiana, available ICU capacity increased from 12 percent to nearly 15 percent on Monday. There are 345 people hospitalized with COVID-19.
In this area, the majority of those infected with the virus are between the ages of 50-59 with 16.4 percent. Those aged 20-29 percent make up 16.2 percent.
Steuben and Huntington counties had the largest increase in positive cases outside of Allen County from Sunday into Monday, with 45 and 41 new cases respectively.
Allen County reported 231 new cases and three deaths, according to the Allen County Department of Health.
Eligible healthcare workers will be notified by their employers, professional agency or licensing agency and will need to register through the Indiana Department of Health.
Parkview received a shipment of about 2,000 vaccines today and is expecting to receive a second shipment of about 8,000 more next week.
Northeast Indiana COVID-19 totals are:
- Adams County: 24 new cases for 2,290 total. No new deaths for 28 total. 7-day positivity rate at 11.4%.
- Allen County: 231 new cases for 6,535 total. Three new deaths for 394 total. 7-day positivity rate at 16.3%.
- DeKalb County: 30 new cases for 2,574 total. No new deaths for 44 total. 7-day positivity rate at 16.5%.
- Huntington County: 45 new cases for 1,964 total. No new deaths for 18 total. 7-day positivity rate at 11.6%
- Kosciusko County: 24 new cases for 5,5957 total. One new death for for 58 total. 7-day positivity rate at 14.6%.
- LaGrange County: 10 new cases for 1,818 total. No new deaths for 40 total. 7-day positivity rate at 19.1%.
- Noble County: 19 new cases for 3,417 total. No new deaths for 51 total. 7-day positivity rate at 12%.
- Steuben County: 41 new cases for 2,104 total. No new deaths for 16 total. 7-day positivity rate at 14.6%.
- Wabash County: 19 new cases for 2,300 total. No new cases for 29 total. 7-day positivity rate for 13.9%.
- Wells County: four new cases for 1,676 total. No new deaths for 42 total. 7-day positivity rate for 10.9%.
- Whitley County: 28 new cases for 2,049 total. No new deaths for 17 total. 7-day positivity rate for 20.7%.
