O’Fallon doctor urges COVID vaccination. To those who refuse ‘I’ll see you soon,’ he says

As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in southwestern Illinois, health officials continue to stress testing and vaccinations.

In fact, Dr. Jeff Shafer, HSHS St. Elizabeth’s emergency room physician and EMS medical director, was blunt in his recommendation to get vaccinated during St. Clair County’s weekly briefing Wednesday.

“If you are on the fence, I would urge you to reconsider,” he said. “If you simply have not had time to do so, please make time to do so. I understand busy schedules of all people ... I get it.

“And, then, for the rest of you, I’ll see you soon.”

Shafer added he fully supports people making their own, informed decisions.

“If you’ve read about it and you’ve done your research and you decide not to get the vaccine, that’s OK,” he said. “You have to live and die with the consequences the same as I do in getting the vaccine. But there’s a proportion of the population out there that is not opposed to the vaccine.

“They just haven’t taken time out of their busy schedules to go and get it. I would urge those people to do that now.”

Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, also strongly encouraged people to get their vaccination during a town hall meeting themed as an update on “the current state of the pandemic in the Region 4 area” last week.

According to the IDPH, Region 4 consists of Bond, Clinton, Madison, Monroe, Randolph, St. Clair, and Washington counties.

“We have to get more people to get this important shot,” Ezike said. “Our whole community needs everyone to participate in this. If we want our schools to be safer, if we want our long-term care facilities to be safer, if we want our churches to be safer, then everybody has to take part in this.

“The three most important things we can do are get vaccinated, get vaccinated, get vaccinated. After that, masking is something that is very important. In addition to masking, getting tested. Let’s just take advantage of some of the tools we have.”

Here are various testing and vaccine options available to metro-east residents.

Testing options

The Illinois Department of Public Health has mobile testing teams at locations in East St. Louis, including 4601 State St., 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Sunday and Monday. Capacity is limited, and hours of operation are subject to change based on available equipment.

Another testing site is at St. Clair Square mall, in the parking lot behind Dillard’s. It is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Wednesday-Friday-Saturday. Several area pharmacies and Memorial and St. Elizabeth’s hospitals also offer testing.

In Madison County, CVS and Walgreens locations offer free testing. Touchette Regional Hospital and Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation also offer daily testing in Wood River. Call 618-646-2596 for an appointment.

“If you’re not feeling good, go get tested,” St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency Director Herb Simmons said recently.

COVID-19 vaccine in St. Clair County

Local health departments and pharmacies continue to offer the shot.

In St. Clair County, the location at 330 W. Main St. in Belleville is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. People can use the drive-up option for the Pfizer vaccine, but need an appointment for Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.

Additional options include chain stores such as Walgreens and CVS or local pharmacies like the Freeburg Pharmacy and the Smithton Pharmacy. There is walk-in availability, but appointments are recommended.

Here are additional upcoming vaccination options in St. Clair County:

• Tuesday, Aug. 17: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at St. Paul United Church of Christ, 123 E. Dee St., Lebanon. Administering first and second Pfizer vaccines. Walk-ins welcome, appointments suggested. Schedule an appointment at https://loom.ly/fbICFQ0. Registration code: SCCmobile12.
• Friday, Aug. 20, and Saturday, Aug. 21: 5-8 p.m. at New Life in Christ Church, 689 Troy-Scott Road, O’Fallon. Pfizer second dose. For more information on this clinic, call 618-632-6542 or email nlreceptionist@nlicic.org.
• Saturday, Aug. 21: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Bethel Baptist Church of Caseyville. 10 Bethel Meadows Road.

COVID-19 vaccine in Madison County

In Madison County, the health department is holding clinics for child and adult immunizations on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays by appointment only. Call (618) 692-8954 to schedule an appointment. For more information, visit: http://www.co.madison.il.us/.../immunization_clinic.php

Here are additional upcoming vaccination opportunities in Madison County:

• Thursday, Aug. 12: 3:30-7:30 p.m. at Granite City High School, 3101 Madison Ave. Pfizer vaccine. Appointments preferred, walk-ins welcome. Visit www.madisonchd.org for more info or to schedule an appointment.
  
  
• Wednesday, Aug. 18: 3:30-7:30 p.m. at Triad High School, 703 U.S. 40. Pfizer vaccine. Appointments preferred, walk-ins welcome. Visit www.madisonchd.org for more info or to schedule an appointment.
  
  
• Thursday, Aug. 19: 4-7:30 p.m. at Edwardsville High School, 6161 Center Grove Road. Pfizer vaccine. Appointments preferred, walk-ins welcome. Visit www.madisonchd.org for more info or to schedule an appointment.
  
  
• Wednesday, Aug. 25: 3:30-7:30 p.m. at Civic Memorial High School, 200 School St., Bethalto. Pfizer vaccine. Appointments preferred, walk-ins welcome. Visit www.madisonchd.org for more info or to schedule an appointment.
  
  
• Thursday, Aug. 26: 3:30-7:30 p.m. at Alton High School, 4200 Humbert Road. Pfizer vaccine. Appointments preferred, walk-ins welcome. Visit www.madisonchd.org for more info or to schedule an appointment.

Amy Yeager, director of community health public information officer for the Madison County Health Department, said recently all the pharmacies in the county, specifically all the Walgreens and CVS locations, are giving the vaccine as well.

She also recommended calling local pediatrician offices.

“A lot of the pediatrician offices in our county have the vaccine,” Yeager said. “A lot of them are giving the vaccine to people who aren’t even their patients.”

This story was originally published August 12, 2021 at 5:00 AM.