Without state’s help, St. Clair County could run out of COVID-19 vaccine by Friday
St. Clair County officials say doses of COVID-19 vaccine may run out by Friday if the state doesn’t replenish the supply.
During a daily briefing, St. Clair County Chairman Mark Kern said officials hoped to vaccinate at least 1,000 people a day. As of Monday, the county has been administering about 1,350 doses per day, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health’s vaccine database.
“Right now we don’t have enough vaccine to get us into Friday,” Kern said. “We’ve used what we have. ...
“We keep on trying to let the state know that if they can put the vaccine in our hands we’ll get it out.”
St. Clair County has administered the most vaccine doses in the metro-east with 26,869 doses administered and 3,894 people fully vaccinated. IDPH reported Monday morning the county has 9,487 doses available that have not been allocated toward long-term living centers, which are kept in a separate inventory.
“We’ve got our fingers crossed,” added St. Clair County Emergency Response Coordinator Herb Simmons. “We’re trying to get more.”
Simmons said if the doses do not arrive by Thursday, the medical staff and National Guard members who are operating the mass vaccination site at the Belle-Clair Fairgrounds in Belleville will have nothing to do.
Nearly 1.49% of the county’s population — or about 3,894 people — have received both vaccination shots. Because of the uncertainty in vaccine deliveries, the county prioritized those with phase 1A eligibility who are 65 years or older.
Kern said the county hopes to begin vaccinating educators this week, but that will depend on if the vaccine doses are available.
FEMA to help staff call center in county
Meanwhile, Simmons said a Federal Emergency Response Agency team will be joining the county’s call center this week to help with incoming calls from people trying to sign up for the county’s vaccination list.
Last week, Simmons said the call line has been inundated with calls. Since it opened, the center’s seven employees have taken about 3,000 calls.
He said some callers may get a busy tone due to the volume, a problem the county hopes to alleviate in the coming days through a request for additional lines from AT&T. Callers who receive a busy signal should hang up and try calling again after a few minutes, he advised.
The call center can be reached at 618-825-4447 and is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
This story was originally published February 8, 2021 at 5:02 PM.