Where the Village of Huntley stands in the next phases of the COVID-19 vaccine distribution process
MCHENRY COUNTY – With the McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) beginning to take enrollments online of residents who qualify for the 1B and 1C phases of the vaccine, and the Kane County Health Department (KCHD) looking to start vaccinating 1B group members within the next two weeks, it’s no surprise that the Village of Huntley has kept busy on its end in administering the vaccine to the 1A group of essential workers.
The initial shipment of 4,000 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine arrived in McHenry County on December 28, which were distributed to Mercyhealth and Northwestern Medicine facilities within McHenry County as well as long-term care living facilities who chose to receive vaccines from MCDH.
On Dec 30, the Huntley Fire Protection District posted on their Facebook page, a photo of Huntley Fire Protection District Chief Scott Ravagnie, receiving his first dose of the Moderna vaccine. Other members of the Fire District had also been administered their first dose.
“I would say the experience has been effortless. The McHenry County Health Department is administering the vaccine during this first phase of the state’s COVID-19 Vaccination Plan. They have been doing a fantastic job organizing and conducting vaccination clinics to ensure that critical healthcare workers can receive the vaccine,” said Huntley Fire Protection District Lieutenant Brian Harders who is also the Director of Emergency Medical Services for the District. “Their process is very easy. Our members sign up for an appointment to receive the vaccine, online.”
Harders went further into detail on how the vaccination process works.
He explained, “When you arrive for your appointment, you check-in, verify some basic health questions and receive your vaccination. They ask everyone to wait in a socially distanced observation area for at least 15 minutes after receiving the vaccine to ensure you don’t have signs or symptoms of an allergic reaction, and then you’re done. You also receive a vaccination card with the date you should return for your second dose. I have volunteered at the clinics, and the process is quick, easy and safe.”
Seeing as police officers land in the 1B priority group, the Huntley Police Department has not been administered the COVID-19 vaccine as of yet, though they are anticipating vaccinations within the police department to begin sometime in January, according to Huntley Police Deputy Chief Michael Klunk.
He made mention of a teleconference call that took place on Jan 11, to set plans for the near future rollout. No further detail was provided.
As for Huntley School District 158, Superintendent Dr. Scott Rowe provided a brief update of the distribution status of the COVID-19 vaccine in the Jan 11 Board of Education special meeting.
“The vaccination that is right around the corner, unfortunately, the governor has placed educators in group 1B so that’s on the horizon. We’re excited about that. Our nurses have been vaccinated with their first round. We have been informed that some of our related service personnel that have one on one work with students, have been invited to get the vaccine,” Rowe said. “That has yet to happen. We expect educators to be around the corner when that process can begin, but it sets us to a point where down the road, the glide path when the vaccination is in place, and our numbers dramatically decrease, we can begin discussion about a full return, when that’s appropriate.”
For the rollout of the vaccine distribution for group 1B at District 158, Dan Armstrong, Director of Communications and Public Engagement, echoed what Rowe said as far as not having a concrete date available. However, Armstrong did state that the District is not requiring its staff members to receive the vaccine.
“No staff members are being required to receive the vaccine, but we are seeing a very high level of interest throughout our staff in receiving it. We are working proactively with the health department to collect numbers of needed vaccinations for our staff, and we’re doing everything we can to get those vaccinations implemented for our staff as quickly as possible,” Armstrong said.
Sun City resident and Trustee member for the Huntley Fire Protection District Board of Trustees, Bonnie Bayser, has been extremely pleased by the ongoing vaccinations throughout not just Huntley, but McHenry County as a whole. With a background in nursing, Bayser has also volunteered her time at the various clinics to administer the COVID-19 vaccine.
“People are very happy. They’re taking selfies or they’re asking people to take pictures [of them]. They’re very excited. I’m excited to see the number of people that are coming and I wish that more would come, that we would have more vaccines so we can give it out to more people,” Bayser explained.
