HAMILTON COUNTY, Ind. — Clinics across the state are expecting a new wave of Hoosiers wanting to be vaccinated.
Governor Eric Holcomb announced Tuesday that people ages 16 and older will be eligible for the shots beginning March 31.
Clinics are eager to find out if they will get enough vaccine to match the increasing demand.
The vaccination clinic operated by Hamilton County's Department of Health has lots of space to vaccinate lots more people. Opening up vaccinations to everyone 16 years and older, Christian Walker said, is exciting.
"It makes it that more accessible for those interested to get the vaccine to come in and get it," Walker explained. "We are looking forward to the opportunity."
According to the county's public health preparedness coordinator, the clinic could easily expand to vaccinate twice as many people if it gets enough vaccine to do so.
"It is difficult to plan if you don't know what that number is," Walker said.
The clinic is expecting what's called a "warn notice." As the name implies, it is a warning, letting officials know how much vaccine they should expect in the next few weeks.
Walker hopes their weekly shipments more than double, reaching 8,000.
The county health department is already considering extending the clinic's hours, enlisting more volunteers and workers, expanding computer systems and, if necessary, holding mobile pop-up clinics and opening a second vaccination clinic.
"We are trying to do everything we can to be leaning forward so when the state says 'congratulations you are getting x amount more,' we say good, here's where it goes," Walker said.
Jim Stuckey was just vaccinated. He hopes one dose of the vaccine goes into the arm of his 18-year-old daughter, Myah.
"I think it helps them get back to a normal life," Stuckey said. "It helps them get back to what teenagers ought to be doing."
In Myah's case, that would be playing softball.
The hardball questions are how much vaccine is coming, when will it arrive and how long will Hoosiers have to wait to get it.