Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak and First Lady Kathy Sisolak listen to Nevada National Guard Members about the COVID-19 vaccine point of dispensing (POD) at the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center. [/caption]

Dec. 10, 2021. Reno/Sparks, NV – The Washoe County Health District and community partners are recognizing the Nevada National Guard for its remarkable efforts to help in the regional response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Washoe County.

The Guard’s last day supporting the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center (RSLEC) vaccine/testing operation and the Washoe County Health District is Monday, Dec. 13, 2021, though if needed the COVID-19 Response Team can request that the Guard be redeployed. Guard personnel will, however, remain in Northern Nevada assisting the Nevada State Public Health Laboratory.

The Nevada National Guard initially began its support of the Washoe County Health District at the RSLEC testing site in Reno on April 15, 2020.

Guard medical members worked tirelessly for the COVID-19 Response, which included:

• Collect samples for COVID-19 testing
• Administer COVID-19 vaccines at the RSLEC and also at community vaccine events and for the homebound program
• Disease investigation & contact tracing
• Data entry
• Staffed the COVID-19 call center, 775-328-2427
• Helped plan and execute efforts for three separate testing/vaccine arrangements on the Livestock Events Center grounds as well as lead logistical efforts to ensure the hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of resident vehicles move efficiently and safely through the testing and vaccine drive-through process
  • The Health District and the Guard were bolstered in these efforts by Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Medical Reserve Corp (MRC) and Board of Pharmacy volunteers

“It cannot be overstated how important the Nevada National Guard has been to the COVID-19 Response in Washoe County,” said James English, Operations Chief for the COVID-19 Response. “The hard work, professionalism and overall expertise of the men and women of the Guard was astounding to see first-hand. We leaned on the Guard a lot during this pandemic and much of the success we have had in this response can be attributed Guard member support.”

The Guard supported

• Over 200,000 COVID-19 vaccines administered in Washoe County
• Over 90,000 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) COVID-19 tests

At the high-water mark during the summer of 2020, about 1,200 Nevada National Guardsmen were activated statewide for the pandemic. It was the largest and lengthiest state activation in Nevada National Guard history.

The Nevada National Guard is a reserve force made up of 4,400 members with about 80 percent serving part-time. The Nevada National Guard serves a dual mission in support of the federal government overseas and the state for emergency response when called by the Governor.

The COVID-19 Regional Information Center is working together to deliver COVID-19 community updates in a unified manner. While press releases are only sent periodically for significant events, you can always get daily results on our website, https://covid19washoe.com/, our COVID-19 Dashboard or by following us on Twitter @COVID19Washoe. The entities include: City of Reno, City of Sparks, North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District, Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, Regional Transportation Commission, REMSA, Reno Sparks Indian Colony, Reno Police Department, Reno Fire Department, Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, University of Nevada, Reno, Washoe County, Washoe County Health District, Washoe County School District and Washoe County Sheriff’s Office. Also in the group are Community Health Alliance and the area hospitals, Northern Nevada Medical Center, Renown Health and Saint Mary’s.

Dec. 10, 2021. Reno/Sparks, NV – The COVID-19 vaccine drive-through clinic at Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center (RSLEC) will transition after Friday, Dec. 17, 2021, as the operation will move indoors to the Washoe County Health District main clinic at 1001 E. 9th St. Building B in Reno.

COVID-19 testing at the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center is still available and will not be affected

Vaccine operations inside the Health District will be available Monday-Friday starting Monday, Dec. 20, 2021. Appointments at the Health District Immunization Clinic can be made by calling 775-328-2427 – there is not an option to schedule a clinic appointment online. Several other vaccines options in the community are available by visiting www.vaccines.gov.

The announcement comes almost a year since the COVID-19 Regional Response Team received its first shipment of COVID-19 vaccine, which was Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020. The first vaccine administered at RSLEC was Dec. 17, 2020 for health care workers.

• 165,000 doses have been administered at the RSLEC, which includes first, second and third doses as well as boosters
• At its peak, more than 2,500 doses were administered per day at RSLEC

“Last winter, our drive-through, mass-vaccination clinic was a vital component for administering COVID-19 vaccines in Washoe County when supplies were extremely limited,” said Kevin Dick, District Health Officer in Washoe County. “Staff at the Health District, regional partners, volunteers and the Nevada National Guard poured their hearts into that operation, and it became a model for many other organizations regionally because it was efficient and safe. Washoe County needed a large-scale operation to vaccinate as many people as possible and it was accomplished quickly.”

Dick continued, “Now as we move through this pandemic and COVID-19 vaccinations are widely available through numerous providers, it’s appropriate to move the Health District operation indoors and expand our community COVID-19 vaccine events. The Health District, through all of our vaccination events, has been dispensing less than 10 percent of the total vaccines administered in the community. The goal was to support a mass-vaccination site until regional pharmacies and community providers stood up their own vaccine capabilities. We feel at this time that the community has met that challenge.”

The Health District will continue to provide additional community COVID-19 vaccination events that will occur on a semi-permanent basis that residents can visit for any COVID-19 vaccine. Information on these locations will be announced soon.

Next week, the Washoe County School District, Washoe County Health District, Community Health Alliance and Immunize Nevada are collaborating to host 13 COVID-19 vaccine events solely for children ages 5-11. See the events here.

The Regional Information Center encourages residents, especially those who do not have access to a primary care physician, to take advantage of the free opportunity seek out a Community COVID-19 Vaccine Event for COVID-19 vaccines and boosters. You can also check local pharmacies at vaccines.gov or visit Community Health Alliance for further opportunities. Call 775-328-2427 to schedule a vaccine at the Health District.

For more information about the COVID-19 vaccine in Washoe County, visit www.COVID19Washoe.com.

The COVID-19 Regional Information Center is working together to deliver COVID-19 community updates in a unified manner. While press releases are only sent periodically for significant events, you can always get daily results on our website, https://covid19washoe.com/, our COVID-19 Dashboard or by following us on Twitter @COVID19Washoe. The entities include: City of Reno, City of Sparks, North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District, Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, Regional Transportation Commission, REMSA, Reno Sparks Indian Colony, Reno Police Department, Reno Fire Department, Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, University of Nevada, Reno, Washoe County, Washoe County Health District, Washoe County School District and Washoe County Sheriff’s Office. Also in the group are Community Health Alliance and the area hospitals, Northern Nevada Medical Center, Renown Health and Saint Mary’s.

Nov. 12, 2021. Reno/Sparks, NV – The Washoe County Health District (WCHD) will administer the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to those aged 5-11 years at its 1001 E. 9th Street, Building B location on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021.

The Health District is expecting to administer around 400 vaccines after administering nearly 300 on Nov. 6.

What: COVID-19 vaccine for those 5-11 years old only (No vaccines for 12+ at this event)
When: Saturday, Nov. 13, 9-11 a.m. (County Complex gates open at 7 a.m.)
Where: Inside the main WCHD clinic at 1001 E. 9th Street, Building B (This is inside the Health District and not the drive-through service at Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center)
Note: No appointments necessary. Vaccines will be given on a first-come, first-served basis. Parents must fill out paperwork on site and longer-than-usual wait times are expected.

Pertinent information regarding the COVID-19 vaccine for those 5-11 years old:

• Only the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is available for those aged 5-11
• Two doses are recommended, with the second dose due three weeks after the first
• The dosage for children aged 5-11 is 1/3rd the size of a standard Pfizer dose
• The vaccine was found to be 90.7% effective in preventing COVID-19 in children aged 5-11
• The vaccine’s safety was studied in approximately 3,100 children ages 5-11 who received the vaccine and no serious side effects have been detected in the ongoing study
• A parent or guardian must accompany a minor to get a COVID-19 vaccine.
• More safety information can be found here.

The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention endorsed the COVID-19 vaccine for ages 5-11 on Nov. 2, 2021 after the Food and Drug Administration issued emergency use authorization the week prior.

Starting Sunday, Nov. 14, all WCHD Community Vaccine Events will have the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for those 5-11 on a first-come, first-served basis and appointments are not required. See the schedule for WCHD community vaccine events here.

Those aged 5-11 can also get the COVID-19 vaccine at Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center every Wednesday and Friday from 9-11 a.m with the exception of Friday November 26th. No appointments are necessary; however, only 100 vaccines will be available.

Other locations that offer the vaccine to those aged 5-11 include some local pediatrician offices and pharmacies (find a vaccine provider here). Contact your pediatrician for any questions about the vaccine and to see if they administer the vaccine to those aged 5-11. Other options include Community Health Alliance and Renown Health.

For more information about the COVID-19 vaccine in Washoe County, visit www.COVID19Washoe.com.

The Washoe County Health District is nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board and has jurisdiction over all public health matters in Reno, Sparks, and Washoe County through the policy-making Washoe County District Board of Health. The District consists of five divisions: Administrative Health Services, Air Quality Management, Community and Clinical Health Services, Environmental Health Services and Epidemiology & Public Health Preparedness. More info can be found here.