For the past three months, COVID-19 vaccines have not been accessible in Camp Verde, but that’s about to change.
Camp Verde Mayor Dee Jenkins said that the town is teaming up with Northern Arizona Healthcare to begin vaccinations in Camp Verde, beginning on Friday, March 26.
“Two-hundred doses have been allocated to Camp Verde,” Jenkins said. “I have worked really, really hard on this and we have not let up one moment to get a location in Camp Verde.”
Jenkins cited Yavapai County District 2 Supervisor James Gregory as being instrumental in getting shots allocated for the town.
“It’s getting to a portion of the county that wasn’t represented at [point of distribution] sites,” Gregory said. “Hopefully we’ll get people who weren’t making the trip to Cottonwood.”
The county has begun receiving doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which — unlike the Moderna vaccine that has been the main allocation for the first few months of vaccinations in the Verde Valley — only requires one shot. The Johnson & Johnson vaccines administered at the Camp Verde clinic will not detract from the 10,500 Moderna doses that the county is allocating each week through Spectrum Healthcare and Yavapai Regional Medical Center.
“We will have a clinic there on Friday, March 26. Two-hundred appointments are available but are not able to be scheduled just yet,” Cristine Currie, director of population health management for NAH, wrote in an email. Vaccination appoint- ments will be available only for Yavapai County residents who qualify under the current regulations — 55 and over, essential workers or people with chronic medical conditions.
“We do not know when we will get more vaccine to hold an additional clinic [the county hasn’t been clear on that],” Currie wrote.
The town hopes to use the gym on Hollamon Street as a staging ground for the inoculations.
“It’s just a perfect location,” Jenkins said. “There’s parking right across the street. It’s not being used, so they can set up and don’t have to take it down.”
Signups for the NAH vaccinations opened up on Wednesday afternoon and can be found on the town’s website.
In addition, Spectrum Healthcare, who have been administering vaccinations in Cottonwood and Prescott for weeks, are opening up a new site for vaccinations in Camp Verde, at their clinic at 452 Fannie Flat Rd, starting on Thursday, March 25 and Friday, March 26. Spectrum will continue to administer the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, which requires two shots, and is not increasing their total supply of vaccines, just opening up a new location for them. Appointments can be made in Cottonwood or Camp Verde at https://www.spectrumhealthcare-group.com/pr2/.
“We’re doing some vaccinations out there,” Spectrum VP of Integration Sunshine Dean said. “It’s going to require a community effort.”
The Town of Camp Verde moved to Phase 2 COVID-19 restrictions last week, slightly reducing the precautions for town offices to allow for greater occupancy and in-person visitation, though the town is still requesting appointments for in-person meetings when possible to cut down on potential spread. Town Council meetings will be in person but have a limit of 15 attendees.
“I am pleased that the town is moving toward business-as-usual but, more importantly, transitioning to Phase 2 signals that this horrible pandemic is finally moving in a positive direction for the citizens of Camp Verde,” Jenkins wrote in an email.
