MOHAVE COUNTY – COVID-19 vaccination protocols were discussed at length during Monday’s Mohave County Board of supervisors meeting. Department of Public Health Director Denise Burley said demand for coronavirus protective shots greatly exceeds the 13,732 doses that had been administered in the county as of Monday morning.

Burley said the county and qualified providers are still administering to all of those in the 1-A and the upper tier of 1-Bpopulation classes, some 28,514 people in northwest Arizona. She said it’s important to vaccinate these high-risk classes as evidenced by the fact that 74% of the first 456 COVID-19 deaths in the county were in the 70-plus age group.

Burley said the vaccination process will slow when it opens for the other 1-B tiers, including the 37,266 residents 65 to 74 years of age. “When we move into that phase and include 65 and older and educators we’re going to be there for a while,” she said.

Burley said vaccine administration efficiency is compromised by many who are submitting vaccine applications in advance of their class and eligibility.

“They’re showing up assuming that providers are going to provide the vaccine and they’re not. They’ve been instructed to stay within the phase,” she said.

Dist. 4 Sup Jean Bishop said the County Supervisors Association is sending a letter to members of Congress about dose deficiency in Arizona. “We are preparing a letter to be sent to our members of Congress with regard to vaccine supplies to our state that are woefully inadequate and our constituents across Arizona are not being properly served,’’ she said.

Bishop and Dist. 5 Sup Ron Gould said they’re hearing complaints about winter visitors getting vaccinated ahead of local residents. Burley said federal guidelines do not restrict eligibility by permanent residence and she explained the importance of inclusion for outsiders.

Burley noted that many snowbirds are here for months. She said they can spread infection and impact local hospitals and health care providers if they become infected.

Dist. 3 Sup Hildy Angius noted that Laughlin residents may be getting vaccine in Mohave County and she said she wanted to inquire if Mohave County residents could get shots in Laughlin if supply is greater there.

Burley said new county case counts have been reduced by roughly 50% in the last two weeks but added that the crunch at area hospitals has not eased up.

“ICU beds remain dangerously full across the county and this week reached our highest to date average daily ICU bed usage, Burley said. “Three hospitals show zero to one ICU bed availability and this week showed an increase in percentage of ICU beds occupied, COVID patients seen in the ED and COVID-plus admissions.”

Burley said the infected-mortality rate in Mohave County is 2.6%.

Dave Hawkins