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One of Wheaton, Illinois’s COVID-19 testing sites will be converted into a vaccination site as Du Page County builds the infrastructure needed for immunizations amid frustration over vaccine supply. The Du Page County Board announced this change on Tuesday, January 27, 2021.
Next month, the Du Page Health Department will move a COVID-19 vaccine clinic from Wheaton’s main office to the county fairgrounds. Due to this transition, drive-through testing at the fairgrounds will end this week.
The fairgrounds will be added to a list of over 80 COVID-19 vaccination clinics in the county.
The county’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign has been leading the rest of Illinois. So far, more than 1.6 percent of the population has been vaccinated.
Although the number of vaccines distributed to Du Page varies widely from week to week, the state reserved 23,925 COVID-19 vaccine doses for the county two weeks into the rollout in December.
A COVID-19 testing site converting to a vaccination center is necessary to combat the deadly virus.
Du Page County Board Chairman Dan Cronin stated, “Currently, our supply is rather inconsistent and certainly inefficient, but we are consistently advocating at all levels of government to rectify the situation.”
The county has also requested National Guard assistance to speed up vaccinations. It has been confirmed that a more contagious coronavirus variant first identified in the United Kingdom is emerging in Illinois.
“The understanding so far is that the vaccines that we have will still be effective against these viruses,” said Dr. Rashmi Chugh, medical officer at the county health department.
Phase 1B has a registration process for the 268,000 people eligible for the vaccine, per Executive Director Karen Ayala.
The virus is here and likely to be here for a while. With new variants on the rise, being aware and open to the COVID-19 vaccinations brings hope that we can combat this deadly virus.
As COVID-19 continues to spread, it is highly recommended that everyone do their part to wear a mask, social distance, avoid crowds, and wash their hands to protect themselves and others against this deadly virus.
By Teleza Rodgers
Edited by Cathy Milne-Ware
Source:
Daily Herald: Du Page County to open vaccination site at fairgrounds amid frustration oversupply By Katlyn Smith
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Maryland GovPics’ Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Prachatai’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
