COVID-19 vaccine now available to all San Juan County residents

Twelve months after the coronavirus arrived in San Juan County, more than one-third of county residents have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The shot is now available for all adults in the county.

Large allotments of vaccines to Utah Navajo Health System (UNHS) has made it possible to hold more than 20 drive-thru vaccination clinics throughout San Juan County since vaccination began in December.

As a result, the county has worked through high-risk categories of residents very quickly.

In total, 3,022 people have been fully vaccinated in San Juan County, with an additional 2,843 who have received the first of the two-shot vaccine.

More than 9,300 doses of the vaccine have been administered, with 2,000 administered by San Juan County and 7,300 doses administered by UNHS.

The vaccine is available to all San Juan County adults through UNHS, as well as 16- and 17-year-old residents with parental permission.

While the State of Utah vaccine distribution timeline is currently for those 50 and older and those age 16 and older with underlying conditions, the UNHS distribution timeline is accelerated as a Navajo Nation provider.

The vaccine is being offered to any established UNHS patient, regardless of residency and any Indian Health Services (IHS) beneficiary or immediate family or caretaker of an IHS beneficiary.

All San Juan County adults can now call ahead and schedule to receive the vaccine at any UNHS clinic.

Other health providers in the county are in line with the rest of Utah’s vaccine distribution timeline.

UNHS is still hosting drive-thru clinics for those looking to receive their second shot of the vaccine, but for the most part, locals who can have already participated in drive-thru clinics.

At the end of February, UNHS saw an increase in patients from out of the area with many coming from Colorado or the Wasatch Front.

UNHS Chief Operating Officer Byron Clarke said they even had people come from as far away as Ohio and New York to receive the vaccine at UNHS drive-thru clinics.

As a result, UNHS is offering only drive-thru clinics for second shot appointments. Second shot drive-thru clinics are from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. over the coming weeks.

They include Navajo Mountain and Monticello on Thursday, March 11; Montezuma Creek and Monument Valley on Friday, March 12; Montezuma Creek on Thursday, March 18 and Saturday, March 20; and Monument Valley on Friday, March 19.