McHenry County Department of Health working to identify homebound residents who need COVID-19 vaccine

The McHenry County Department of Health has implemented its plan to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to the county’s homebound residents with the help of first responders.

Wednesday was the first day of vaccinations to homebound residents, health department spokesperson Lindsey Salvatelli said. Huntley Fire Protection District Lt. Kelly Gitzke was the first to administer in-home vaccinations in McHenry County.

According to a news release Wednesday, the McHenry County health department is using teams of its staff members and first responders to provide the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to those who may be homebound for a variety of medical reasons and unable to get to a clinic.

Pfizer or Moderna vaccines for residents who do not wish to receive the Johnson &Johnson vaccine also are being provided on a case-by-case review, according to the release. Residents who can’t leave their homes at all will get Johnson & Johnson, Salvatelli said, while those who have some ability to get a clinic but aren’t able to make their way through one could be eligible for the other vaccines.

“The best way for people to find out whether or not they’re eligible to receive another vaccine is just to call the COVID-19 call center,” Salvatelli said.

As previously reported by the Northwest Herald, homebound residents in McHenry County felt they had “fallen through the cracks” of the county’s vaccination distribution as one resident, whose 96-year-old mother had difficulty scheduling and getting to her appointment, put it.

Homebound people “need the help of another person or medical equipment such as crutches, a walker, or a wheelchair to leave their home, or their medical provider believes that their health or illness could get worse if they leave their home,” according to an article by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that provides guidance for local health departments on vaccinating this population.

“This is an important part of MCDH’s COVID-19 response, taking care of our medically vulnerable residents and making sure that they don’t slip between the cracks of the vaccine rollout,” McHenry County Public Health Administrator Melissa Adamson said in a statement. “It has taken a considerable amount of coordination and planning, but we are committed to vaccinating as many McHenry County residents who want the protection and are trying protect others.”

For information about how to receive a vaccine if you are homebound, call the McHenry County health department’s COVID-19 Call Center at 815-334-4045.