Nearly 2,700 COVID-19 shots administered at reopened mass vaccination site in Belleville
St. Clair County health officials say an average of nearly 569 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been given daily since the Belle-Clair Fairgrounds in Belleville reopened as a mass vaccination site.
The fairgrounds officially reopened as a drive-thru mass vaccination site on Oct. 5, with specific emphasis on the booster. And since then, health officials reported nearly 2,700 doses have been administered overall.
“Those are good numbers. We said when we started that, we were shooting for 500 a day, so we’re actually doing that,” St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency Director Herb Simmons said Wednesday during the county’s weekly COVID briefing.
“We’ve been consistently over that (goal of 500 a day),” St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency Assistant Director Bryan Whitaker said.
The site is scheduled to run through the end of the month and is open to administer the first, second and third and booster doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Appointments are strongly encouraged but not required.
The last drive-up appointment is taken at 7 p.m. daily. Overall, Simmons estimated the beginning-to-end time to get the vaccination at the site is about 40 minutes.
“We’ve made it as easy as possible here in St. Clair County with the mass site and at 330 W. Main St. You can stay in your car,” Simmons said. “It’s a short, short time to spend to get a whole bunch of prevention and that’s what we’re encouraging. As we’ve said for 579 days, do your part — be a part of the solution.
“We keep saying that we want to get this put behind us. But it takes a team effort.”
The fairgrounds previously served as a mass vaccination site for the first two doses of the vaccine.
Where else can you get a booster shot?
Below is a list of additional locations offering Pfizer COVID-19 booster shots::
St. Clair County Health Department — 330 West Main St., Belleville from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through-Saturday. Appointments should be scheduled at www.co.st-clair.il.us/departments/health-department or by phone at 618-233-7703.
Clinton County Health Department — Clinics held at 930 Fairfax St, Carlyle, from 2-6:30 p.m. Wednesdays. Schedule an appointment at www.clintoncountyhealth.com or by calling 618-594-6622.
Washington County Health Department — 177 S. Washington St., Nashville. To schedule an appointment call 618-327-3644.
Bond County Health Department — Clinics held at 1520 S. Fourth St., Greenville, on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Schedule an appointment at www.bchd.us or by calling 618-664-1442.
Who is eligible for a booster dose?
Anyone who previously received the Pfizer vaccine and who falls in one of the categories below can receive a booster dose, as long as it has been at least six months since the second dose:
- Anyone 65 years old and older
- Anyone who lives in a long-term care facility who is at least 18 years old
- Anyone age 18-64 who has one of the following conditions: Overweight or obesity
- Diabetes
- Long term (chronic) kidney disease
- High blood pressure
- Long term lung disease like COPD
- Dementia
- Down’s syndrome
- Heart conditions
- HIV
- A weakened immune system
- Liver disease
- Pregnancy
- Sickle cell disease
- History of organ transplant
- History of smoking
- Stroke
- Substance use disorder
Anyone age 18-64 who is at high risk for COVID-19 exposure due to their job as a:
- First responder (healthcare workers, firefighters, police, congregate care staff)
- Education staff (teachers, support staff, daycare worker)
- Food and agriculture worker
- Manufacturing worker
- Corrections worker
- U.S. Postal Service worker
- Public transit worker
- Grocery store worker
Who can receive a third dose?
Anyone who received either Pfizer or Moderna (not J&J) for their first two doses and who has a weakened immune system (see list of qualifying conditions below) can get a third dose at least 28 days after receiving the second dose. This is not considered a booster. Qualifying conditions include:
- Receiving active cancer treatment for solid tumors or cancers of the blood
- Receiving an organ transplant and taking medicine to suppress the immune system
- Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, WiskottAldrich syndrome)
- Advanced or untreated HIV infection
- Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress the immune response
How to schedule an appointment
Appointments to participate in the mass vaccination event may be scheduled online at https://www.co.st-clair.il.us/Departments/Health-Department/COVID-19-Information/Vaccination-Screen or by calling the St. Clair County Health Department at 618-825-4447.
This story was originally published October 14, 2021 at 7:00 AM.