St. Clair County expands COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to include more frontline workers
St. Clair County expanded eligibility for vaccine appointments Wednesday, according to the county health department.
All people in the state’s Phase 1B, Part 1 vaccination plan will be eligible. That group encompasses people over the age of 65 and frontline employees who do not work remotely. They include:
- Firefighters
- Law enforcement officers
- 911 dispatchers
- Security personnel
- Corrections officers and inmates
- Food and agriculture workers
- Postal service workers
- Manufacturing workers
- Grocery store workers
- Teachers and educational support staff
- Shelter employees
- Adult day care facilities
People who fall into previous phases are still eligible for vaccination if they haven’t gotten an appointment yet. Phase 1A includes health care personnel, and people who work and live in congregate and long-term care facilities.
St. Clair County was also vaccinating people over the age of 65, who fall into Phase 1B. As of Wednesday, the county had administered at least one dose to 44.3% of the population over 65, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
People who live or work in St. Clair County in those groups are eligible to sign up on the county’s vaccine notification list at https://Health.co.st-clair.il.us. This list is only for notification when an appointment is available. When an appointment is available, the county health department will send an email with instructions on how to schedule.
Anyone in need of assistance with signing up for notification may call 618-825-4447 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Appointments are based on vaccine availability. The health department requested that people refrain from calling for information about when and where they can be vaccinated to keep lines open for those who are able to schedule an appointment or need help doing so.
Anyone needing to cancel a vaccine appointment should call 618-233-7703 as soon as possible.
Other groups also have vaccine notification lists, including the East Side Health District, BJC/Memorial Hospital, HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital and SIHF/Touchette Hospital. The state has a vaccination provider list at coronavirus.illinois.gov/s/vaccination-location.
On Feb. 25, Illinois will expand eligibility to include people with high-risk medical conditions. St. Clair County will provide vaccines to those individuals as supply allows. People in Phase 1B, Part 2 include people between the ages of 16 and 64 who have one or more of the following conditions:
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Pulmonary disease
- Heart conditions
- Chronic kidney disease
- Cancer
- Immunocompromised state from a solid organ transplant
- Sickle cell disease
- Pregnancy
- Persons with a disability
People should continue to wear masks, socially distance and wash their hands frequently as the vaccine rollout continues, health officials say.
This story was originally published February 17, 2021 at 3:25 PM.
