Close to 7,000 COVID Shots Given in County

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Published on March 2 2021 3:32 pm
Last Updated on March 2 2021 3:32 pm
Written by Greg Sapp

Close to 7,000 COVID vaccine shots have been given in Effingham County.

Karen Feldkamp of the Effingham County Health Department said that as of Tuesday 2,347 people have received both shots, which is just under 7% of the county population.

Feldkamp was reporting to the Effingham County Board's Health Committee. She said a 500 dose first shot clinic was held Tuesday, as well as a 409 dose second shot clinic. 

Feldkamp is hopeful that if the volume of vaccine expected is received that the County could work through their backlog of people registered to receive shots by the end of next week. At that point, they would try to have people register online to get their vaccinations.

Feldkamp also reported that 260 people in Effingham County are either in isolation or are quarantined, so while the numbers are down, "COVID is not completely gone."

Health Department Administrator Jeff Workman said that the County is seeking a grant to pay for a record tracking system. Workman said the system would make for a longer time at a vaccination clinic, but would provide the State with better records as to immunizations.

Feldkamp said the average time for someone getting an immunization at a clinic is 20 to 25 minutes, but that includes the 15-minute wait time to see whether the person has a reaction to the immunization.

Feldkamp also reported 13 new volunteers who have become part of the County's Medical Service Corps and are assisting at the vaccination clinics.

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The Effingham County Health Department reported nine new positive COVID cases from Friday through Monday; four on Friday, one on Saturday, none on Sunday, and four on Monday.

The breakdown:

FRIDAY--males in their 20s and 70s and females in their 20s and 60s

SATURDAY--a female in her 40s

MONDAY--males in their 20s and 70s and females in their 50s and 60s

Illinois Region 6 rolling test positivity as 2.4% through February 26, while Effingham County was also 2.4% for the same period.

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The Illinois Department of Public Health Tuesday reported 1,577 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease in the state, including 47 additional deaths.

The deaths included a male in his 70s in Clay County.

As of Monday night, 1,231 individuals in the state were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 281 patients were in the ICU and 148 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.