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County health department deploys retired nurses to vaccinate homebound residents

Retired nurses in Webster County are helping to vaccinate some of the county's most vulnerable population for COVID-19.

WEBSTER COUNTY, Iowa — Many older Iowans who are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine have unique obstacles to receiving their shot, so local health departments are finding ways to meet them in the middle.

In Webster County, the health department is reaching homebound residents by sending retired nurses into their homes to administer the vaccine. 

"You know, [there are] different situations. We had some non-weight bearing injuries— people that had injuries where they couldn't stand," explained Kari Prescott with the county health department. "It's a good service to have to make sure that the people who are eligible get the vaccination in a timely manner." 

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The nurses bring in an entire kit to vaccinate these folks, which includes the vaccine itself, gloves and emergency materials in case someone has an allergic reaction to the shot.

Linda Whaley is one of the nurses helping the county, and she said she enjoys serving those in need. 

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"So for me, it was not only rewarding to sit there and visit with people, but I was humbled with the gratitude of every single patient that we visited, and every single time, however many times, we heard the word 'thank you,'" Whaley said. 

Local 5 has reached out to other counties to see how they are reaching out to this specific population. 

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