About a month into the COVID-19 vaccination period in Vermilion County, local health providers are working to vaccinate as many people as possible as the area heads into its next phase of vaccines.
At OSF, staff members are finishing up receiving their second doses of the Moderna vaccine, and about to start on the second phase of vaccinations. The Polyclinic will begin vaccinations next week. The Vermilion County Health Department is currently vaccinating school employees. Administrator Doug Toole says 120 people were vaccinated on Tuesday morning. 610 people have been vaccinated at the health department. Hospitals have given another 1,000 doses, with 880 first-time doses and 120 for the second time.
Derek Holycross, the eastern region pharmacy director at OSF HealthCare, says healthcare providers are working as a team to vaccinate as many people as they can.
“The attitude is just great,” he says. “Everyone wants to get this done. We want to work together. Nobody seems to be like, trying to be the Alpha Dog in the room or trying to take over. We just want to work together and want to get the community taken care of.”
Holycross says OSF has several ways to remind people to be vaccinated a second time, and to visit for their first appointment. He says the OSF MyChart and text messages have been sent as reminders, and OSF has had a good return rate for the second shot.
If anyone feels uncomfortable receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, Holycross suggests that they talk to their doctor or another healthcare providers about concerns they might have. However, he says the vaccine is safe. He says a common misconception is that the vaccine will cause cases of COVID-19.
“It’s not creating the virus itself, it’s just the identifier, if you will, the spike protein on the outside of the virus, that you’re body will then recognize, and then create antibodies and immunity,” he explains.
Danville Mayor Rickey Williams Jr. told city council members Tuesday night that the county health department should have its registration program online by Friday where the public can sign up for vaccinations.
Phase 1B is starting in Vermilion County. That group includes county and school employees, senior citizens and other frontline workers.
