The Indiana Department of Health announced Tuesday morning on Twitter any Hoosier over the age of 45 is now eligible to schedule an appointment to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

The expansion comes nearly two weeks after the state expanded eligibility to those 50-years-old and older. To schedule an appointment, visit the Department's vaccine website, ourshot.in.gov, or call 211.

For those like myself who just miss the mark for the latest expansion (I turned 44 this past November), the move does provide some optimism our turn is coming soon. How soon will be determined by the number of doses the state receives and how many people in the current age range choose to get them. Hopefully, that will be sooner rather than later so we can get one step closer to putting the pandemic behind us.

Teachers Eligible Everywhere

As of Monday (March 15th, 2021), Pre-K through high school teachers and other school staff members including classroom aides, bus drivers, janitors, counselors; administration staff, cafeteria workers and substitute teachers are also eligible to schedule their appointment at any vaccine clinic through the state's vaccine website regardless of whether or not they fall in the current age group. This also applies to those who work at Head Start and Early Start programs, as well as licensed childcare providers, including center-based and family care providers.

[Source: Indiana Department of Health on Twitter]

LOOK: Answers to 30 common COVID-19 vaccine questions

While much is still unknown about the coronavirus and the future, what is known is that the currently available vaccines have gone through all three trial phases and are safe and effective. It will be necessary for as many Americans as possible to be vaccinated in order to finally return to some level of pre-pandemic normalcy, and hopefully these 30 answers provided here will help readers get vaccinated as soon they are able.

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