COVID-19 News Update
AUGUST 27, 2021
The importance of pregnant women being vaccinated.
COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all people aged 12 years and older, including people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now, or might become pregnant in the future. Pregnant and recently pregnant people are more likely to get severely ill with COVID-19 compared with non-pregnant people. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine can protect you from severe illness from COVID-19.
Based on new evidence about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines, CDC is strengthening its recommendation for COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy.
- In a new analysis of current data from the v-safe pregnancy registry, scientists did not find an increased risk for miscarriage among people who received an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine before 20 weeks of pregnancy.
- Additionally, previous findings from three safety monitoring systems did not find any safety concerns for pregnant people who were vaccinated late in pregnancy or for their babies.
- Growing evidence about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy demonstrates that the benefits of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine outweigh any known or potential risks.
- COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all people 12 years and older, including people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now, or might become pregnant in the future.
- The increased circulation of the highly contagious Delta variant, the low vaccine uptake among pregnant people, and the increased risk of severe illness and pregnancy complications related to COVID-19 infection among pregnant people make vaccination for this population more urgent than ever.
COVID-19 3rd Dose FOR IMMUNE-COMPROMISED APPROVED
- 3rd dose vaccines are only approved for immune-compromised individuals
- 3rd dose is to be administered a minimum of 28 days after 2nd shot
See the Governor’s Statement for further information on immune-compromised HERE.
The third dose for the immunocompromised is not called a “booster shot.” It is called an “additional shot,” because booster shots are meant for people with healthy immune systems.
THIRD DOSES ARE NOT BOOSTERS. BOOSTERS HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED.
CDC does not recommend additional doses or booster shots for any other population at this time.
Read The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) statement on the plan for COVID-19 booster shots for the American people HERE.
Will County Health Department is making plans to be announced soon on protocols for COVID-19 booster shots for the general public.
- Boosters (NOT APPROVED for general public) – administered 8 months after a completed 2-dose series
COVID-19 Delta Variant Cases Continue to Rise.
Why Wait?
Schedule your vaccine today to Stop the Spread of the Delta Variant!
Steps Already Taken to Combat Delta in Illinois:
Vaccinations required for all state employees at congregate facilities, in addition to mandates by private employers
Masks required in all P-12 schools, daycares and long-term care facilities and highly recommended in public indoor spaces
County Level COVID-19 Risk Metrics
Hospital Resource and COVID Patient Data
County Level COVID-19 Community Transmission Data
Cases: 7 Day Total
1158
Cases: Total Per 100K
167.65
Positivity Rate
6.92%
Governor Pritzker Announces COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement for Healthcare Workers, Pre-K-12 Teachers and Staff, Higher Education Personnel and Students to Slow Spread of Delta Variant
Thursday, August 26, 2021
All Illinois Residents Required to Wear Masks Indoors, Regardless of Vaccination Status
Downstate Communities with Lower Vaccination Rates Experiencing Sharp Increase in COVID-19 Hospitalizations
CHICAGO – As COVID-19 infection and hospitalization rates across the state continue to increase, particularly in downstate communities with the lowest vaccination rates, Governor JB Pritzker and IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike today announced vaccination requirements for individuals in high risk settings. All healthcare workers, including nursing home employees, all pre-k-12 teachers and staff, as well as higher education personnel and students will now be required to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Employees in all of these settings and higher education students who are unable or unwilling to receive the vaccine will be required to get tested for COVID-19 at least once per week, and DPH and ISBE may require increased testing in certain situations.
Pop-Up Vaccine Clinics
Pop-Up COVID-19 Vaccination Event Request
Do you want to host a Pop-Up COVID-19 Vaccination Event?
Will County Fair
710 South West Street, Peotone
August 25th through 29th
10am to 8pm (Wednesday through Saturday)
10am to 6pm (Sunday)
At this event vaccine recipients will receive:
+ Pair of FREE Great America tickets
(while supplies last)
Market in the Glen
14240 W 151st Street, Homer Glen
September 2nd from 3pm to 7pm
HellsGate Haunted House Open House
3101 Canal Street, Lockport
September 4th from 3pm to 7pm
Monee Fall Fest
Fireman’s Park, 5218,W Court Street, Monee
September 10th from 5pm to 8pm
Community Resource Fair
90 Towncenter Drive, University Park
September 11th from 10am to 2pm
Founder’s Day Entertainment Weekend
1050 W Romeo Road, Romeoville
September 18th from 1pm to 5pm
Beecher Farmers Market
625 Dixie Hwy, Beecher
September 25th from 9am to 1pm
Click a link below to schedule your first dose vaccine online.
(2nd dose appointments will be made at the time of the first appointment.)
Second dose appointments at the Joliet or Bolingbrook office will receive a gift card, while supplies last.
If you need a second dose appointment,
call 815-774-7386 to schedule your second dose.
We are now offering scheduling to the Will County Health Department Vaccine Clinics through our COVID-19 appointment scheduling phone line.
Call to Schedule your Vaccine with the Will County Health Department
815-774-7386
Do you know someone who is interested in receiving a COVID vaccine who is unable to get out of the house due to medical limitations?
Consider applying for our homebound vaccination program through the Will County Health Department! Click the link to apply, and we will follow up with you as soon as we can! We want to get everyone vaccinated, especially those who are most at-risk and homebound.
2 DOSE VACCINE EFFECTIVENESS AGAINST COVID-19
GET BOTH DOSES
GET READY TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL
At the Will County Community Health Center in Joliet
GET FREE SCHOOL and SPORTS PHYSICALS when you come in for the COVID-19 VACCINE.
JOLIET LOCATION: 1106 Neal Avenue
FOR APPOINTMENTS CALL: 815-727-8670
WALK-INS WELCOME Mon – Fri: 8 AM to 5:30 PM
COVID-19 VACCINE AVAILABLE FOR CHILDREN 12 years and older.
VACCINES FOR HOMEBOUND
Do you know someone who is interested in receiving a COVID vaccine who is unable to get out of the house due to medical limitations?
Consider applying for our homebound vaccination program through the Will County Health Department! Click the link to apply, and we will follow up with you as soon as we can! We want to get everyone vaccinated, especially those who are most at-risk and homebound.
Our Progress
We are at over 50% of the population in Will County Fully Vaccinated!
Total number of vaccines administered
753,805
8/27/21
Total complete doses
369,296
8/27/21
53.34%
of population fully vaccinated
Demographic Breakdown
RACE/ETHNICITY
%
WHITE
452,475
%
HISPANIC
106,810
%
BLACK
69,020
%
ASIAN
55,675
Age
Ages 12-17
- 67,794 8.99%
Ages 18-64
- 529,586 70.3%
Ages 65+
- 156,409 20.7%
Gender
Female
- 401,817 53.3%
Male
- 349,688 46.4%
WCHD ALIGNS WITH CDC AND IDPH INDOOR MASKING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ALL DUE TO SUBSTANTIAL TRANSMISSION
The Will County Health Department (WCHD) is reminding all Will County residents to wear masks indoors in public settings due to Will County being designated as a COVID-19 substantial transmission county by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This applies to both vaccinated and non-vaccinated individuals.
Gov. Pritzker Announces Mask Requirement for Pre-K-12 Schools, Long-Term Care Facilities, to Prevent Spread of Highly Transmissible COVID-19 Delta Variant
As COVID-19 infection rates across the state continue to increase and with a number of school districts not yet adopting CDC guidance on masking, Governor JB Pritzker and IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike today announced masks will be required for students, teachers, and staff at pre-kindergarten-12th grade schools and day cares across the state. The new requirement formalizes CDC guidance released in July on universal masking for both unvaccinated and vaccinated people in schools to ensure a safe return to classrooms.
Will County to Require Masks at County Buildings
Due to a large increase in COVID cases, both locally and nationwide, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) are recommending face coverings indoors for everyone, both vaccinated and unvaccinated, in jurisdictions with substantial transmission.
Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant has announced new protocols around face coverings at Will County Buildings. The public, both vaccinated and unvaccinated, will be required to wear a mask or face covering upon entering any county building and during any time spent in county buildings.
Do you have outreach or grassroots experience? We are hiring!
The Will County Health Department is hiring Health Navigators to assist with COVID-19 vaccine outreach and education throughout the County. Interested candidates can find more information and apply on our website.
Tell Us What You Think
TAKE OUR SURVEY
We need your help! Will County Health Department needs your input on the COVID-19 vaccination to help us better understand where our communities stand on the vaccine. We are working to better center our education and outreach efforts to address concerns and questions about the vaccine and ensure that everyone has equitable access to the vaccine.
We are asking you to take just 5-10 minutes to express your views on the vaccine through this completely anonymous survey. You can complete this survey regardless of whether you have taken the vaccine or not; we need input from everyone. Your responses will not be personally connected to you in any way. We encourage you to express your thoughts so we can better serve our communities.
Thank you so much!
FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR DAILY VACCINE CLINIC UPDATES
An easy way to stay updated on vaccine clinic hours and availability of appointments is to follow the Will County Health Department on Facebook. We post each morning the locations that are open that day for appointments and walk-ins.
Click here to visit our page and then follow/like us!
For additional questions about COVID-19, call our hotline:
815.774.7386
The Will County Health Department is providing a Coronavirus hotline to help answer your questions about COVID-19.
Call Center Hours of Operation:
Monday through Friday from 8:00am-4:30pm
Please call with any questions you may have and we will be happy to help you.