Local COVID vaccination campaigns continue

Commercial-News - 6/15/2021

Jun. 15—DANVILLE — Incentives for getting the COVID-19 vaccination have run the gamut across the U.S. for those who've been unwilling to receive it.

Get the shot, then get a beer or amusement park ticket or something else, as cities and states try to get more creative.

Locally, Danville Area Community College offered a free summer class to anyone with a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccination card.

An upcoming event at the June 22 Danville Dans baseball game, is get the shot and get a free hot dog and beverage.

In partnership with OSF Healthcare and the Illinois National Guard, the health department will have a one-dose Johnson and Johnson Clinic from 5:30 p.m. — 7:30 p.m.June 22 at the Danville Dans baseball game at Danville Stadium, 610 Highland Blvd., for those ages 18 and older. All individuals receiving a vaccine this night will receive a complimentary hot dog and beverage coupon. Tickets are $2 to get into the game. Vaccines are available at no cost and will be available outside the ball field if someone chooses to not go to the game. Walk-ins welcome, no registration is required.

"The people who were wanting the (COVID-19) vaccine have gotten it," said Vermilion County Health Department Public Health Administrator Doug Toole of the large majority of local residents. "A large group has no interest."

Of those who haven't gotten vaccinated, he doesn't think a gift card or other incentives will change many minds either, or make a big difference; but the health department and other local organizations are trying to encourage more vaccinations.

The local NAACP received funding to serve as navigators and improve vaccination access, and a small team of Peace Corps volunteers, through emergency management agency funding, also are doing outreach locally, Toole said.

Groups have gone door to door to try to help with access issues, and there may be COVID-19 vaccination information booths at local events such as Balloons Over Vermilion and the local fairs, he said.

"We've really focused resources for more outreach," Toole said.

Toole said many people are following their peers with regards to getting or not getting vaccinated, and many families are sticking with the vaccine brand that has given them the least side effects.

Local campaigns continue to urge more Vermilion County residents to get the vaccine and have the area increase its percentage of residents who are vaccinated.

Vermilion County is inching closer to 30 percent fully vaccinated.

"We're nearly half of where they want us to be," Toole said about the CDC, and Vermilion County not being half of the approximately 70 percent health experts have estimated is needed of a community to have herd immunity protection.

When the Vermilion County Health Department'sMelissa Rome updated the county's COVID-19 numbers again on Monday, they jumped up again some from the most recent vaccination clinics.

As of June 14th, 2021

IDPH Statistics for Vaccination Numbers

Vermilion County Vaccination Counts

Total Number of Vaccinations Administered (includes 12+): 42,765

Total Number of Vermilion County Residents fully vaccinated (includes 12+): 22,858

Percentage of Vermilion County's total population who are fully vaccinated: 29.76%

Percentage of those who are 65+ and have at least 1 dose: 69.12%

Percentage and number of those who are 65+ that are fully vaccinated: 65.78% / 9,773

Percentage of those who are ages 16-64 and have at least 1 dose: 31.83%

Percentage and Number of those who are 16-64 that are fully vaccinated: 28.12% / 12,905

Vermilion County Case Counts (as of 6/10)

Active Cases: 55

Hospitalizations: 7 (13% of active cases)

Total Cases (beginning March 2020): 9,994

Total Released/Recovered: 9,797

Total Deaths: 142

Toole is pleased with the percentage of residents age 65 and older who've been vaccinated — almost 66 percent. He's disappointed in the other lower percentages.

At the most recent clinic for second COVID-19 vaccine doses at Mark Denman Elementary School for children as young as 12 years old, 84 students received it. At the first dose clinic, when 250 shots were available, 118 students received the first dose.

Other schools in the county saw lower than available doses given out too.

Toole said while some parents indicated they were getting their first and second doses at different locations, he's hopeful the majority did get the second dose for their children somewhere, such as a pharmacy.

"We were expecting to see a dip," he said of the second dose school clinics.

He said people getting their doses at two different locations started back in the spring with "snowbirds" getting their first dose vaccinations in Florida and elsewhere and then their second doses here.

Toole said there remains people who don't want to get the vaccine for various reasons, such as wanting to build their own immunity or still wait and see how it is working because they think it was developed too quickly.

Health department officials also hoped Vermilion County residents would be more proactive with their health and COVID-19, hoping they learned from the past and past generations with the county's yearly bottom rankings in least-healthy Illinois counties.

The health department initially was overwhelmed at the start of the vaccination process with lots of phone calls and inquiries about where and how soon senior citizens and those who are immunocompromised could receive the vaccine after first responders received theirs.

Now, the health department receives very few inquiries.

After Wednesday's vaccination clinic at the health department and the clinic at the Danville Dans game, the health department will be moving to one vaccination clinic a month. July's will be July 14 at the health department 200 S. College St., Danville.

The health department will have less help, with the National Guard leaving after helping with more than 100 clinics.

"I'm hoping that this just starts to die down on its own," Toole said of COVID-19 and vaccinated people slowing the spread.

His fear is that it's going to come back hard again, "and we're going to have fewer resources to address it."

Some unknowns that remain: COVID-19 variants, booster shots needed, the flu season and vaccines for children younger than 12.

The health department has shared excess vaccine doses with neighboring health departments, with sometimes too much on hand; and has gotten more as needed too in some instances.

Toole thanks those who've helped out with the clinics, host sites and others with this process.

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