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December 11, 2020

News • December 11, 2020

MCDH to prioritize COVID-19 vaccine distribution

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WOODSTOCK — The McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) is announcing that it is prepared to receive the first allotments of COVID-19 vaccines in McHenry County to be distributed to healthcare workers and long-term care facilities.

“We’re gearing up for a marathon that will start as soon as the vaccine becomes officially available,” said MCDH Nursing Director Susan Karras. “Vaccine allotments will vary by county, and the State’s plan starts with distributing vaccine to counties with the highest death rates. We will all need to continue to use the preventative tools we know that work—watching our distance, washing our hands and wearing our masks—until a vaccine is widely available and a large portion of the population has received an adequate dosage.”

Once vaccines begin to arrive in McHenry County, supplies will be limited. MCDH will distribute vaccines in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations based upon the allotment of vaccine doses received.

The following priority groups have been recommended for vaccination:

  • Phase 1a:  Frontline Health Care Personnel and long-term care residents and staff
  • Phase 1b:  Essential Frontline Workers (e.g., Education Sector, Food & Agriculture, Utilities, Police, Firefighters, Corrections Officers, Transportation).
  • Phase 1c: Adults with high-risk medical conditions and adults 65 years and older who do not reside in a long-term care facility

It is possible that MCDH will need to prioritize further within those groups based on the demand for vaccines and community needs specific to McHenry County. MCDH will continue to keep county residents informed about the availability of a COVID-19 vaccine as it becomes available.

“Because vaccines are limited and we do not know how many vaccines we will receive in the coming months, we will need to make very difficult decisions about who will be prioritized within each of these groups,” Karras said.  “We all want to get back to normal, and with everyone’s patience and cooperation, the vaccine is offering us this opportunity. Even though it is distant, there is now a light at the end of the tunnel.” More information about the prioritization guidelines is available on the CDC’s website. To get the most up-to-date and reliable information about COVID-19, visit mcdh.info or CDC.gov.