Illinois National Guard members being deployed to McLean County to assist with COVID-19 vaccination

Posted on March 9, 2021
The National Guard members will assist the McLean County Health Department in expanding operations at the vaccination site located at Grossinger Motors Arena in downtown Bloomington. (Twitter/RepLaHood)

 

By Neil Doyle

BLOOMINGTON – Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday announced the deployment of additional Illinois National Guard members to assist with COVID-19 vaccination efforts in McLean County.

The state is helping support the McLean County Health Department in expanding operations at the vaccination site located at Grossinger Motors Arena in downtown Bloomington. Once more vaccines are available, the site can administer 4,600 doses per day for people who live and work in McLean County.

“While vaccine availability has been limited to date, we know we have a model set-up capable of mass vaccination,” said McLean County Health Department Administrator Jessica McKnight. “It’s ultimately about getting vaccine in the arms and protecting the members of our community.  This new partnership will allow us to scale-up our current vaccination efforts as vaccine increases.  As long as the vaccine arrives in McLean County, rest assured we are well-prepared to work with the Illinois National Guard to administer it quickly, safely, and equitably.”

As of Tuesday, there were close to 1,300 Illinois National Guard service members assisting with COVID-19 response throughout Illinois, according to a news release.

There are now more than 880 vaccination locations in Illinois open to the public. While the state is working to increase the number of vaccines administered daily, it is limited by the amount of vaccine available and allocated by the federal government.

Over 41,000 doses have been administered in McLean County.

Vaccine information in McLean County can be found here.

Statewide resources are available here.

Neil Doyle can be reached at [email protected]

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