Sedgwick County has been notified by the state of Kansas that it will receive 3,800 doses this week of the new Johnson & Johnson vaccine for the coronavirus.

Deputy County Manager Tim Kaufman said the county will be looking to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the county’s Local Health Officer, Dr. Garold Minns, for guidance on the use of the new vaccine.   Kaufman said the vaccine has been tested against the variants of COVID-19 and it only requires one dose.   He said health officials are excited to have a new vaccine opportunity in the community.

Kaufman said at least 48,425 doses of the vaccine have been administered by the health department, and there have been 16,011 people who have received the second dose to become fully vaccinated.   The number does not include vaccines that have been administered by pharmacies, long-term care facilities and nursing homes that have received their own shipments of the vaccine through local pharmacies.

The county is continuing to vaccinate people 65 years of age and older, along with teachers and staff members in K-12 schools and health care workers.   Kaufman said the county has been informed that school districts have provided 2,949 vaccinations to teachers and staff, and he’s confident that all teachers and staff members will be vaccinated this month.

County commissioners also had a discussion on occupational groups that will be up next for vaccines, as the county continues Phase Two of the state vaccination plan.  The commissioners voted unanimously to send a letter to KDHE asking to include people with underlying health condition in the current phase as soon as possible.    Commissioner David Dennis said people with health conditions who have a significant chance of dying from COVID-19 should be at the top of the list.