SAFFORD – With the COVID-19 vaccine starting to hit the Gila Valley, the Graham County Health Department announced its distribution priority.
Phase 1 will see distribution to the early spring and has three tiers of recipients. The first tier includes health-care workers and health-care support operations, emergency medical service operations, and long-term care facility staff and residents.
The second tier will focus on adults 75 and older; education and child-care workers; law enforcement, corrections and other emergency staff; adults with risk conditions in congregate settings; and other essential workers.
The third tier of Phase 1 will focus on adults 65 and older, adults of any age with high-risk medical conditions, and adults living in congregate settings.
Phase 2 will see vaccine distribution in the spring and summer, and will focus on additional high-risk/critical populations, any remaining Phase 1 populations, and then the general population.
Phase 3 will take place in the summer and beyond, and will focus vaccine distribution on any remaining Phase 1 or Phase 2 populations not already vaccinated, and the general population.