DeKalb County Health Department received, administered 1,500 COVID-19 vaccine doses this week

SYCAMORE - DeKalb County health officials announced Friday after a week of no shipments due to winter weather amid an already reduced COVID-19 vaccine allotment, the department administered 1,500 doses this week.

The 75% reduction in weekly vaccine shipments from the state due to statewide limited supply continues, however, and as a result, the health department administered about 100 first doses this week, and 1,400 second doses, said Lisa Gonzalez, public health administrator for the DeKalb County Health Department.

She said those numbers are approximate given that the health department also had a clinic Friday (second dose clinics postponed Feb. 18 and 19 due to lack of vaccine from weather delays were held Thursday and Friday of this week) for those registered in Phase 1B of the state’s vaccine rollout, meaning the vaccine is still limited to those 65 and older or who work in essential industries as identified by the state and federal government.

After winter weather delayed shipments last week -- equating to no vaccine deliveries the week of Feb. 14 -- the health department received two shipments this week. Therefore, vaccine clinics are being planned ahead of time for next week, officials said.

If you qualify for a clinic, you may receive an email from the DeKalb County Health Department notifying you of your eligibility and instructions on how to sign up for a spot at the clinic.

The health department makes appointments and sends notifications to those registered (no need to register twice) based on who registered first. For instance, if you’re 65 or older and registered with the health department in January, you’re likely to get an appointment before someone who registered in February.

“Our first-dose vaccine allotment continues to be limited as Health Department’s throughout the state work to focus on administration of second dose vaccine,” health officials said in an announcement Friday. “We were also notified that the 300 first dose allocation projection for this week was increased to 700 doses. While still significantly lower than some of our previous week allocations, this has allowed us to open up a few additional first dose clinics within the next week.”

On Feb. 12, health officials announced vaccine doses would be significantly reduced over the next three weeks, up until at least March 8, with the county health department’s weekly vaccine allotment from the state slashed by 75%. That means instead of 1,200 doses delivered to the department weekly for mass vaccination clinics and to share with local hospital providers, only 200 to 300 doses would be given out.

It remains unclear why the reduction is happening specifically now, although when asked, local and state health officials said vaccine supplies continue to be limited.

By the numbers

As of end of day on Thursday, Feb. 25, the health department has administered over 7,300 (1st and 2nd dose) COVID-19 vaccines to Phase 1A Healthcare Workers and individuals in Phase 1B including first responders, individuals in the K-12 education sector, childcare providers, public transit workers and those 65 and older, health officials said.

Vaccine shipments to the county health department are specifically allocated to mass clinics run by the department, or divvied up by the health department for private clinics through Northwestern Medicine or Greater Elgin Center for Family Health. First dose clinics for those secondary distributors, however, are on hold currently due to the reduced shipments.

Gonzalez said previously that there were around 5,000 residents in the county awaiting second doses as of last week, and she “was not worried” about meeting those obligations with the reduction, expected to last to March 8.

Since the week of Dec. 21, 2020, the health department has allocated a total of 3,300 (1st and 2nd dose) vaccines to Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee and Valley West Hospitals for the vaccination of healthcare workers and those patients 65 years and older. The department has also recently partnered with Greater Elgin Center for Family Health to provide an initial allocation of 200 doses to be administered to their patients who fall in Phase 1A or 1B.

As was announced last week, until vaccine supply increases, county health officials said DeKalb County will not expand its Phase 1b eligibility in line with Gov. JB Pritzker’s announcement that phased eligibility should, as of Feb. 25, also include those younger than age 65 with high-risk health conditions.

Health officials are also reminding residents to receive their second dose at the same location they received their first dose. The health department, Northwestern Medicine or an individual local pharmacy (which receives its vaccine allocation from a separate state shipment than the one that goes to the health department) should notify residents of time and location for their second doses.

“Each vaccine provider receives specific second dose allocations based on the number of first doses they are allocated,” health officials said in their Friday announcement. “If you go to an alternate provider location for the second dose it may mean that you are taking away an allotted second dose from someone else at the other location. Individuals who receive 1st dose from DCHD will receive and email to schedule your second dose within a week of when your second dose is due.”

Due to the size of Phase 1b and the current allocation, we ask that everyone be patient. Everyone in Phase 1B will not receive an appointment registration link at the same time. Registration is sent out to individuals on the vaccine notification list based on the current allocation for that week.

Information on local vaccine providers can be accessed by visiting https://coronavirus.illinois.gov/s/vaccination-location or by reviewing additional places to register at www.shawlocal.com.