Kendall County Health Department seeking to complete first phase COVID-19 vaccinations

The Kendall County Health Department is seeking to complete the initial phase of COVID-19 vaccinations in the county.

Phase 1a includes medical and emergency workers.

“In order to move into Phase 1b, we must ensure that we have served all those in Phase 1a,” RaeAnn VanGundy, health department executive director, said in a statement issued Jan. 8.

Residents in Phase 1a include “clinicians, such as nurses and nursing assistants, physicians (MD, NP, PA), respiratory technicians, dentists & hygienists, pharmacists, plasma and blood donation staff, morticians, public health nurses, home health, school nurses, optometrists, COVID testing staff, dermatologists, dialysis staff, urgent care workers, corrections nurses/aids, physical/occupation/speech therapists, vaccine clinic workers, emergency medical services (EMS), including fire departments staff acting as EMS & air medical transport (rotor & fixed wing),” per a statement from the health department.

The health department had previously said they expected to have vaccinated 700 individuals countywide by this week. County health officials received the first initial shipment of 400 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on Dec. 28. The county’s second shipment of 300 additional doses arrived the following week.

Additional vaccine is expected to arrive on a weekly basis. There will be a limited supply in the beginning, but supply will continually increase in the weeks and months to follow, the health department has said.