Illinois Announces State-Support for Lake and McHenry County Vaccination Efforts

SPRINGFIELD -- Governor JB Pritzker today announced additional state resources are deploying to support local health departments in McHenry and Lake counties. These resources include Illinois National Guard support to enhance efforts already underway by both local health departments. This week, National Guard teams will be deployed to the Lake County Fairgrounds to bolster existing operations in Grayslake while a mobile vaccination team will be operating in communities identified by the McHenry County Health Department.

"Illinois has built a robust vaccination infrastructure that has allowed to get vaccine doses out to as many people as possible, as quickly as possible," said Governor JB Pritzker. "A significant aspect of that plan is our Illinois National Guard state-supported vaccination sites, and I'm proud to make these locations even more accessible to residents of McHenry and Lake Counties. With more than 4 million doses of vaccine administered in the state, Illinois is getting the job done, and I encourage all residents to get vaccinated when it is your turn and help us bring this pandemic to an end."

The state's network of vaccination sites operates in addition to the state's mobile vaccination teams, which are deployed statewide to increase access in rural and underserved communities. At the direction of the area local health department, mobile teams move from site to site within counties offering direct assistance to underserved communities with a focus on those unable to visit mass vaccination sites or other clinics, including rural, undocumented, and/or Black and Brown communities.

To date, mobile teams are operating in conjunction with the following local health departments: St. Clair, Southern Seven, Sangamon, Madison, Winnebago, Rock Island, McLean, Grundy, Vermilion, DeKalb, McHenry and Cook.

All in all, between Illinois' vaccination sites and mobile team operations, more than 75 teams of National Guard are supporting vaccination sites across the state each day. As of  March 17, there were more than 1,380 Illinois National Guard service members assisting with COVID-19 response throughout Illinois with the number of Guard members activated expected to increase as the state-assisted sites grow.

"We are pleased to welcome the Illinois National Guard to Lake County to enhance the capacity we've been building over the past several months," said Mark Pfister, Executive Director of the Lake County Health Department. "The teams of vaccinators provided will free up our existing staff to serve at more locations throughout Lake County and assure equitable distribution of vaccine."

"We appreciate the Illinois National Guard supporting vaccination efforts in McHenry County. The addition of a mobile and fixed team will help us expand our capacity so that we can get more residents vaccinated faster. The staffing resources the guard brings will not only enable us to expand the hours of operation and serve more people at the McHenry mass vaccination, but also strategically target businesses and communities that have been hardest hit by the pandemic," said Melissa H. Adamson, Public Health Administrator of the McHenry County Department of Health.

State Mass Vaccination Update

Beginning March 22, the state personnel assigned to seven local vaccination sites in Cook County will transition to mobile and equity-based resources to further expand vaccine accessibility in underserved communities.  These locations will be determined by the local health department.  On Wednesday, the Cook County Department of Public health asked all suburban vaccine providers to expand vaccine eligibility to include those in phase 1A, 1B and 1B+.  Anyone in Illinois - who meets the eligibility criteria - can schedule a vaccine appointment at a state-supported mass vaccination site at Tinley Park, South Suburban College, Triton College or Des Plaines, by visiting https://vaccine.cookcountyil.gov.

Statewide, there are now more than 900 vaccination locations in Illinois open to the public.  For those having difficulty navigating online services to make vaccination appointments, the Vaccine Appointment Call Center may be able to assist.  This hotline is available seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to midnight. Call agents' primary role is to help individuals navigate the various online registration sites. However, if the individual does not have access to online services or is unable to navigate the site, the call agent will make an appointment on the caller's behalf.  That phone number is 1-833-621-1284.

State-supported vaccination sites listed below are open to all Illinois residents unless otherwise noted. All sites require appointments through the local health department. Residents must meet the state's current eligibility requirements to book an appointment.

There is no charge to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Insurance is not required, and the vaccine will be administered regardless of your immigration status.  Vaccinations are available only by appointment at this time and residents are encouraged to check back frequently for open appointments. Individuals should sign up for an appointment to receive their second dose while they are getting their first vaccination.

For more information on how to make an appointment to receive the vaccine, updates on the state's plan and eligibility, and answers to frequently asked questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, go to coronavirus.illinois.gov.