Madison County Director of Public Health Toni Corona reported that more than18,000 COVID-19 vaccinations have been administered in Madison County since mid-December and daily mass vaccination clinics are set to begin by the end of February.
During the Feb. 5 Health Department Committee meeting, Corona provided an update on Madison County’s vaccination efforts and expectations.
Currently, Madison County holds weekly vaccination clinics at the Gateway Convention Center in Collinsville. The first mass vaccination clinic was held Dec. 31. Corona said Madison County will also add weekly vaccination clinics at the Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey and eventually daily vaccination clinics in Collinsville.
She said that at the Feb. 4 vaccination clinic, more than 800 vaccines were administered in 11 hours due to help from both student and professional nurses, medical staff, and more.
“A lot of individuals really working very diligently to be able to do these clinics so they are timely, efficient, safe and accomplish the mission of getting vaccines in arms,” she said.
Corona added that Madison County secured six National Guard teams through the Illinois Department of Health to “ramp up vaccination clinics.” Those teams include six nurses and 12 National Guard members per team. They are set to begin vaccination clinics on Feb. 22 at the Gateway Convention Center, which will be held everyday except Wednesdays. She said these daily clinics allow the Madison County Health Department to create more appointments at one time. The National Guard clinics will be in addition to the Lewis and Clark clinics.
The National Guard clinics will start with approximately 1,000 scheduled vaccinations, but they plan to ultimately provide up to 2,500 vaccinations per day.
Corona said the clinics run smoothly and in a calm environment. She said they schedule people in blocks of 10-minute increments. During that time, they register and administer the vaccine. Then recipients are observed for the necessary period of time before leaving.
She explained that scheduling vaccinations is currently being handled three ways. Individuals who fall under phase 1b who previously responded to a survey indicating they are interested in receiving the vaccine are being contacted to schedule an appointment. Also, an online application to schedule an appointment was launched in addition to appointments made through phone lines handled by a third party. She said that when preparing for clinics, they had over 1,800 appointments booked within 15 minutes.
Corona said they are still vaccinating healthcare officials under phase 1a and have begun vaccinating individuals categorized under phase 1b. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, phase 1b includes individuals 65 years old or older, inmates and essential frontline staff, such as first responders and educators.
She added that her office is planning special vaccination days for educators with special assistance from school nurses. Corona explained that there are more than 10,000 educators who live or work in Madison County.
The IDPH website states that phase 1c includes other essential workers and individuals between the ages of 16 and 64 with "medical conditions that increase the risk for severe COVID-19," but Corona said it could take several months to work through the list of phase 1b individuals.
“The demand right now has just overwhelmed the process,” she said.
According to IDPH, phase 2 is expected to include the rest of the population.
Corona said the county is currently administering the Moderna vaccine but could switch to the Pfizer vaccine when the National Guard clinics begin. She said the public will receive whichever vaccine is available.
“Things are looking up and still moving along quite well, but we cannot replace, by having the vaccination doesn’t mean that you’re free from all the safeguards and preventative strategies and mitigation strategies to prevent the illness as much as possible,” Corona said. “We still need to be wearing masks. We still need to be distancing. We still need to avoid large crowds. All of those things, we have to continue to do, and we’re going to need to continue to do that frankly for months on out until we achieve, you know, a better handle on Covid transmission as well as getting more people vaccinated.”
Board member Chris Guy commended Corona’s efforts despite “unfair commentary” against the Madison County Health Department and its vaccination progress.
Madison County Democratic Party Chair Randy Harris made statements last week calling vaccination numbers “appalling.”
Corona said that the vaccination process is just a “leg of our continued response efforts.” She explained that the Madison County Health Department is administering vaccines while also continuing other responsibilities, such as contact tracing and monitoring other illnesses.
“The truth is, my staff have been head-down working hard since January of last year, and they’re incredible,” she said.
Corona added that the vaccination efforts are moving along as demand allows.
“You can have all the people in the world ready to administer this vaccine, but if you don’t have the vaccine in the amounts that you need the vaccine in, you can’t do this,” she said.
She said the county is moving as quickly as possible while ensuring vaccines are safely administered.
“This is not a bean and cheese burrito process,” she said.
Corona said the Madison County Health Department will continue to be intentional and efficient and will make improvements where possible.
“I’m not going to apologize for an incredible job,” she said.