Will and Kane counties are among four getting new mass vaccination sites, as announced by Governor J.B. Pritzker today. Lake County will also be getting a new mass vaccination clinic, and an existing site in Grundy County will also be expanding. These sites will serve any eligible Illinois resident, regardless of zip code, and vaccines will be free.
More Vaccines
The new sites are part of an effort by the state to help speed up the vaccination efforts.
“As we continue to get more and more vaccine from the federal government, I’m proud to launch four additional state-supported large mass vaccination sites open to all eligible Illinoisans to ensure residents can receive their vaccines as efficiently and equitably as possible,” said Governor J.B. Pritzker in a press release.
Locations
The Will County site will be in the former Toys R Us building in Joliet, at 3128 Voyager Lane. It’s scheduled to open on April 2. It will have a daily dose capacity of 800, and appointments may be requested on the IDPH website. The Kane County site will be at the former Carson Pirie Scott building in Aurora, at 970 North Lake Street. It will also open on April 2, and has a daily dose capacity of 270. Appointments may be requested on the Kane County Health Department website. The new Lake County site opens April 1 at 102 W. Water Street in Waukegan. Its daily dose capacity is 400. Appointments may be requested on the Lake County Health Department website. The expanding Grundy County site is at Shabbona Middle School in Morris. Its daily dose capacity will be 540. Appointments may be requested on the Grundy County Health Department website. Daily dose capacities for all sites are subject to availability.
Grateful For Help
County officials welcome the additional help in their vaccination efforts. “We appreciate the National Guard, the Governor and the Illinois Department of Public Health working in concert with our Health Department and in establishing this vaccination site,” said Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant. “The site is easily accessible to a large number of residents and surrounding communities, allowing Will County to be both effective and efficient in delivering the vaccine.”
There are over 900 vaccination locations in Illinois, which can be found on the State of Illinois Coronavirus Response Website.
Those currently eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination are anyone in Phase 1A, 1B and 1B Plus, along with government workers, higher education staff, members of the media, construction trade workers, food and restaurant workers and religious leaders. Beginning April 12, any Illinois resident aged 16 and older will be eligible.
The Illinois Department of Public Health has also authorized the health departments of counties with lower demand to expand vaccinations to those 16 and older sooner. That is not yet the case in Chicago and the collar counties.
Remain Vigilant
The governor says over 3.6 million Illinois residents have now received their first dose. But he cautioned that the public should still be vigilant and responsible in following social distancing and masking protocols.
“However, this battle is far from over, and with new cases and hospitalizations on the rise, I encourage every resident to buckle down, wear your mask, and do your part so we can all power through to the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Pritzker.
Naperville News 17’s Kim Pirc reports.
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