Health Department Working to Whittle Down Waiting List for COVID Vaccine

The Effingham County Health Department Tuesday said they are using the COVID vaccine clinics they have scheduled to whittle down the number of people on their waiting list for a vaccination.

The Health Department's Karen Feldkamp said a clinic was held today and one will be held on Wednesday. There was one scheduled on Thursday but, due to the rainy forecast that day, the clinic has been postponed until Monday.

Feldkamp said taking online appointments was a problem for some, so they switched to letting people phone in to get on the waitlist, and they ended up with 3,000 people on the list. 

You can still phone the Health Department at 217-342-9237 to get on the waitlist. Feldkamp said you need to leave your name, phone number, and category in which you fall that makes you eligible for a vaccination at this time. Those categories include: 65 and older, educators, health care providers, and first responders.

Feldkamp said a little over 3,000 immunizations have been given so far and reminded again that "this is going to be a several months' process."

Health Department officials have said periodically that they are limited in the vaccinations they can give by the amount of vaccine they receive. Health Department Administrator Jeff Workman said the Illinois Department of Public Health let the County receive more vaccine for the first time in their last request. Workman also said the County should soon get another grant to cover the costs of administering the vaccinations.