Additional mass vaccination, booster site established in southwest Illinois
The Illinois Department of Public Health and Illinois Emergency Management Agency will establish four new one-day mass vaccination mobile booster clinics, including one in Edwardsville.
The clinic will take place locally from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 9, at the Vadalabene Center on the campus of Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, 35 Circle Drive.
“Booster shots are a key part of keeping ourselves and our loved ones as healthy as possible this winter,” said Governor J.B. Pritzker. “My administration is partnering with local health departments to make these free vaccines as accessible as possible for all eligible residents — which now includes Illinoisans 12 and up. This is another step forward for safe schools, safe businesses and safe communities for all.”
All three vaccines — Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson — will be available at the new sites. As with all state mass vaccination clinics, vaccines are available to any Illinois resident, and no appointment, no identification or health insurance will be required.
Earlier this week, the IDPH adopted the CDC’s recommendation to shorten the interval from six months to five months for when people who have received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine can get a booster dose.
Only people who received two doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine during their primary series can now receive an mRNA (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) booster dose five months after their second shot.
The booster interval remains the same for those who received the Moderna vaccine (six months) or the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for their primary series. While adults have the ability to mix-and-match their booster vaccine, 12- through 17-year-olds are only eligible to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech booster.
In late December, Pritzker directed the IDPH and IEMA to enhance its partnerships with local health department mass vaccination operations throughout the state to help meet the growing demand for the COVID-19 vaccine booster. The state is more than doubling personnel and adding at least 100 people to regional vaccination sites.
Illinois also is partnering with 12 local health department to offer mass vaccination booster clinics throughout the state, according to a health department release. Appointments can be made at each clinic at the links below. Many locations will also accept walk ups.
This includes the St. Clair County Health Department — www.co.st-clair.il.us/Departments/Health-Department/COVID-19-Information/Vaccination-Screen.
This story was originally published January 7, 2022 at 11:41 AM.