The National Guard has been deployed in Rock Island County to help vaccinate residents against COVID-19. For the next three months, a mass vaccination clinic will be open, Monday through Saturday at the Camden Centre in Milan.
William Smith of Rock Island brought his granddaughter with him when he got his first dose of the Moderna vaccine. He says his family informed his decision to get vaccinated.
“My daughter, who works for the health department, she recommended it, and I take her advice, because... I love her.”
Janet Hill is Chief Operating Officer of the Rock Island County Health Department. She says she's grateful for the state's help; the health department has a staff of fewer than 50, trying to care for a county of 143,000 people.
Usually, her department receives around 2,000 doses a week, shared with local health care providers and pharmacies. Now, Hill says its supply will come directly from the state.
“By the end of the week, we’ll be able to vaccinate 1,000 people a day. And as long as we get the vaccine supply from the state, we can conceivably do 6,000 people a week.”
Along with an added boost in doses, the state is also providing a new system to better track vaccinations and book appointments for second doses. Sign up now requires a voucher code.
The clinic will administer the Moderna vaccine until Friday, when the health department will switch to Pfizer. Roughly 9% of the county has received both doses.
