New COVID-19 mass vaccination site opens Tuesday in Madison County
A new COVID-19 mass vaccination site will open Tuesday at the Gateway Convention Center in Collinsville, the governor announced.
The Madison County Health Department has already been using the convention center at 1 Gateway Drive as a vaccination clinic — including for educators on weekends. But Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a news release Monday that the site will “ramp up to provide up to 1,350 doses per day at full capacity” when vaccines are available.
Belleville’s Belle-Clair Fairgrounds, another mass vaccination site in the metro-east, has a daily capacity of 1,080 doses, according to the governor’s office.
Vaccinations are by appointment only.
The Madison County Health Department is scheduling appointments only with those who live or work in the county and who are eligible in the state’s phased vaccine rollout. They currently include:
- People who are 65 years old and older
- Essential frontline workers (first responders, educators, grocery store workers and others)
- Health care personnel
Visit madisonchd.org to schedule an appointment in Madison County. Call 618-650-8445 if you don’t have internet access or need help scheduling.
Officials are asking anyone who filled out the health department’s online survey to join the vaccine waitlist between Jan. 4 and Jan. 20 not to use the online appointment scheduler. The health department will contact people on the waitlist directly with the information about scheduling an appointment.
The Madison County Regional Office of Education is scheduling appointments for teachers.
Mobile vaccination sites coming to Madison County
Pritzker also announced Monday that he is activating Illinois National Guard members to help Madison County bring mobile vaccination sites to its rural and underserved communities, focusing on people who can’t visit a mass vaccination site or other vaccine clinics.
The news release from Pritzker’s office stated the Guard members will deploy “over the next few weeks” to priority sites picked by the Madison County Health Department.
Guard members are also helping with mobile vaccination sites in the East Side Health District, according to Pritzker.
This story was originally published February 22, 2021 at 3:58 PM.
