National Guard To Support McHenry County Vaccinations

Press release from the McHenry County Health Department:

The McHenry County Department of Health is announcing that the Illinois National Guard will be supporting vaccination efforts in McHenry County by the end of March.

Two teams, a mobile team and a fixed team, will help the McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) expand its capacity over the next 6 to 8 weeks, allowing the health department to accelerate its vaccination plans to reach more residents and those who work in McHenry County.

Using its data, MCDH will deploy the mobile team to reach vulnerable, underserved, and at-risk populations and businesses. This targeted approach will help get vaccine to hard-to-reach residents at greater risk of poor health outcomes associated with COVID-19 infections; and reduce the risk of COVID-19 outbreaks in businesses. The fixed team will support vaccinations at the MCDH-run clinic at 1900 N. Richmond Road in McHenry.

“The presence of the Illinois National Guard does not guarantee our COVID-19 allotments will increase, but with the extra manpower, with each team consisting of six vaccinators and twelve support staff, we can expect to increase our vaccination capacity and move through the Phase 1b priority group quicker,” said MCDH Public Health Administrator Melissa Adamson.

McHenry County residents and those who work in the county interested in receiving vaccine should enroll and indicate their interest. To receive a vaccination at an MCDH-run clinic, please enroll online at https://bit.ly/MCDHCovidVaccine or call the COVID-19 Call Center if you are without internet or need assistance enrolling.

More information about pathways to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in McHenry County is available on COVID-19 Vaccine Location page: https://bit.ly/MCDHCOVIDVaxLoc.

This press release was produced by the McHenry County Health Department. The views expressed here are the author’s own.