Will County to open clinics

Monee, Wilmington to host vaccination sites

Eastern Will County residents soon will have a vaccination clinic closer to home.

Will County officials Friday announced two clinics will open later this month. A clinic at St. Rose Catholic Church, 634 S. Kankakee St. in Wilmington, will open the week of March 22. The second clinic at the former Second Place Church, 6370 W. Emerald Parkway in Monee, will open the following week.

“Access to vaccinations is vital to winning the battle against the devastating effect of COVID-19 and getting our county back to normal,” Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant said in a news release. “These two clinics will provide critical access to our people who live and work in Will County.”

Both clinics will be by appointment only, open to county residents who qualify for phase 1b, with a focus on serving residents in eastern Will County. Residents must be registered with health department at www.willcountyhealth.org to receive information once appointments are available.

County board member Judy Ogalla, R-Monee, said the two clinics would eliminate the need for residents in her district to have to make the half-hour to an hour drive to Joliet. She said residents have complained about the lack of clinics in the eastern part of the county.

“It’s a long ride to go to Joliet,” Ogalla said.

Other board members echoed similar sentiments in a news release.

“We are grateful to the health department for recognizing the lack of current vaccination locations in our area and opening this clinic so that our most vulnerable residents can get an appointment to be vaccinated,” said board member Joe Van Duyne, D-Wilm

ington.

The county continues to grapple with the limited supply of vaccine. Board and health department leaders recently sent letters to Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health inquiring about the amount of vaccine supplied to the county. In one letter, board Speaker Mimi Cowan inquires about the formula used to distribute vaccine to counties.

“We are concerned about the apparent disproportionately low number of vaccines Will County has been receiving, compared to other counties through Illinois, and specifically, in our area,” Cowan wrote.

County officials claim the county ranks 90th out of the state’s 102 counties for receiving vaccines.

“Will County is the 4th most populous county in Illinois, but we are in 90th place in receiving our fair share of vaccines,” Bertino-Tarrant said in the news release.

Bertino-Tarrant and other county leaders said they are aware vaccine supply is limited and continues to be an issue nationwide. However, county leaders are hopeful they can learn more about how vaccine is distributed and, if possible, increase Will County’s supply line.

County officials also continue to investigate other possible sites for vaccination clinics, Bertino-Tarrant said. The county’s emergency management agency is working to secure other sites, including in Romeoville. Bertino-Tarrant also suggested the Louis Joliet Mall, which has large spaces left vacant by former mall anchor stores Sears and Carson Pirie Scott.

She said sites for vaccine clinics need to be turnkey ready with internet access and enough space for setup.

“We are staking out a lot of places … and trying to find the easiest for us to set up and start,” she said.