November 30, 2024
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Children ages 5-11 can get vaccinated at several Will County clinics this month

The department started administering pediatric vaccines on Monday

By Alex Ortiz

The first vial of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020, at AMITA Health Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet, Ill. Health care workers from AMITA Health Saint Joseph Medical Center received the first round of vaccination in Will County. (Geoff Stellfox)

The Will County Health Department has planned several COVID-19 vaccination clinics at various schools in the county for children ages 5 to 11.

Sue Olenek, the executive director of the county health department, told members of the Will County Board last week her agency was ready to administer the pediatric Pfizer vaccine starting Monday, despite the logistical challenge.

“There’s a lot of things behind the scene that we have to do,” Olenek said. “We have to redefine how we do things in the clinic for safety reasons. We have to redo signage. There’s a lot of things that go along with it.”

Still, she said the department has already scheduled several clinics at schools all over the county.

The health department announced clinics for:

• Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Plainfield North High School, located at 12005 248th Ave. in Plainfield.

• Thursday from 4:30 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. at Manhattan Jr. High School, located at 15606 Smith Rd. in Manhattan.

• Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Joliet West High School, located at 401 N. Larkin Ave. in Joliet.

• Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Bolingbrook High School, located at 365 Raider Way in Bolingbrook.

• Nov. 17 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Fairmont School, located at 735 Green Garden Place in Lockport.

• Nov. 18 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Peotone High School, located at 605 W. North St. in Peotone.

• Nov. 22 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Reed Township, located at 440 N. Division St. in Braidwood.

Most clinics won’t take walk-ins.

The Will County Health Department posted a photo of Brooke, a 10-year-old from New Lenox, who was the first recipient of the pediatric vaccine at the department’s clinic Monday.

will county, covid-19 vaccine, kids

The Will County Health Department posted a photo of Brooke, 10, of New Lenox, who was the first pediatric Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine recipient at the agency's clinic on Nov. 8, 2021. The department scheduled several clinics at schools around the county this month. (Provided)

Residents can schedule a vaccine appointment at the health department’s facility at 501 Ella Ave. in Joliet. The department has vaccine appointments open on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The department also has a survey on its website specifically to gauge parents’ interest in giving their kids, ages 5 to 11, a COVID-19 vaccine.

For more information, including on how to schedule a vaccine appointment, visit willcountyhealth.org or call 815-774-7386.


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