When the Porter County Health Department (PCHD) was made aware of crew members coming into the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor in need of vaccinations, they moved quickly to provide the much-needed immunizations to any and all who consented. With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic posing an increased risk to unvaccinated individuals, the health department instantly saw how beneficial it would be to add another location to its vaccine distribution plan.
Director of Nursing at PCHD Connie Rudd commented on the reason for getting involved and jumping to provide vaccinations at the Port.
“When the ‘agent’ for the ships called the PCHD, he stated that he had called several agencies to arrange vaccinations, but no agency was willing to come to the Port or go onboard to vaccinate the crew,” Rudd said.
Extending inland from Lake Michigan, the Port of Indiana in Portage sees around 450 barges and 75 ships each year. Crew members aboard these ships are unable to disembark while in dock, and many of these workers are from countries other than the United States. Being able to help these individuals who frequent the Port means a better overall outcome as we progress through this pandemic, and that was PCHD’s exact reason for starting the new initiative.
“Some countries do not have access to the COVID-19 vaccine. PCHD was pleased to be able to offer our services to vaccinate these crew members, even though it was not the usual bricks and mortar building!” Rudd said.The Porter County Health Department is happy to provide them the much needed vaccine to the crew, so that they are safe as they travel together but also so that they are safe when they return back to their place of origin. My guess is that their families, once they learn their family member has been vaccinated, they are happy their family member will be safe as they continue to travel in their work. Many other countries do not have the availability of the vaccine the way we do here in the US. With us doing this small part, we hope it helps them.
The first vaccine was distributed at the Port on May 24, and this was given to two different sets of crews aboard two different ships. Since that day, the response from crew members, leaders of the ships, and county officials has been overwhelmingly positive.
“These men and women may not receive the vaccine if they’re not given it here. They will be healthier around each other and around others who they come in contact with,” Rudd said. “Our health department has offered and continues to offer COVID-19vaccinationclinics to ‘meet people where they are.’”
Meeting people where they are at is indeed an accurate way of describing PCHD’s work throughout these past six to seven months of vaccine distribution. Some of the unique ways the department has provided the vaccine includes school-based clinics, business clinics, and even bringing the clinic to people’s homes throughout Porter County.
“Besides offering clinics at our offices in Valparaiso and Portage, we also bring it to the places people frequent the most,” Rudd said. “Some people may not have adequate transportation to travel or physically may not be able to travel. PCHD has partnered with Porter County Aging & Community Services, Valparaiso Fire Department, and Portage Fire Department to deliver vaccines to homebound persons in Porter County.”
Though distributing the vaccine to people aboard the ships isn’t too different from giving out shots at clinics or vaccination sites on land, the process still has many necessary steps. Obtaining consent from interested crew members, presenting information to the nurses who are giving the shot, following through a quick health screening, and then lastly administering the vaccine does take some time. With around 10 to 22 crew members per ship, it requires careful planning and organization too.
To make the process as quick as possible, something that Rudd referred to as “one and done,” PCHD provides the Johnson & Johnson (J&J)/Janssen vaccine, which is a one-dose series, to crew members. This allows them to receive one shot when they come into the Port and be fully vaccinated just two weeks after that vaccine.
Rudd explained how PCHD has even tackled the barrier of how some crew members at the Port are unable to speak English. By providing translators, PCHD has ensured that no person is missing out on their chance to receive crucial immunization.
“Most of the time it runs very smoothly. The consent forms and vaccine information sheets are emailed to the agents of the ship before their appointment. The crew then completes them and presents them to the nurses. The nurses then ask them pertinent questions about allergies and previous vaccine issues,” said Rudd. “Most crew members speak English, but sometimes there is a language barrier that requires someone to come in and translate for that person.”
Now that it is firmly established that PCHD and its team are administering vaccines at the Port, it only requires the agent on the ship to call the office to say when the ship will be arriving and how they can set up an appointment. From there, the process is smooth sailing.
PCHD is eager to continue providing the J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine to incoming crew members and hopes to see the vaccine rate increase over time.
For vaccine-specific information about COVID-19, call the Porter County Health Department at 219-465-3525 or by going to the Porter County Government website atwww.porterco.org
