JOLIET, IL – The Will County Health Department reached a milestone today in administering 1 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to residents of Will County, reaching 60% of the county being fully vaccinated.
“Over the past year, the County Health Department has worked hard to roll out the COVID-19 vaccine to all populations in our county,” said Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant, Will County Executive. “While this is a key milestone, we must continue to be vigilant about defeating COVID-19. Forty percent of our county remains unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated, which puts them at risk to be impacted by this evolving virus.”
The Health Department detailed the progress since the first vaccine was given in December 2020 with the release of a timeline of the last year. As of today, 60.32% of the total population is fully vaccinated. That represents the following breakdown:
• 59.3% of the White Population in Will County is vaccinated
• 47.8% of the African American Population in Will County is vaccinated
• 47.0% of the Hispanic Population in Will County is vaccinated
• 75.2% of the Asian Population in Will County is vaccinated
“Will County has worked diligently through our equity efforts to increase vaccination rates among all populations,” said Sue Olenek, Executive Director of the Will County Health Department. “Since beginning our equity initiative in May, we have worked to close the gap for minorities and vulnerable populations.”
The progress made by Will County can be attributed to the combined efforts of countless volunteers, community-based organizations, the health care community, and businesses who have held over thousands of clinics daily throughout the county.
“We could not have achieved any of the progress without the help of so many individuals and organizations,” said Bertino-Tarrant. “They are the true heroes in this fight.”
In August, Will County began battling the Delta Variant, which continues to cause increased
hospitalizations among the unvaccinated. In addition, the Omicron variant has become an emerging concern in the fight against the spread of COVID-19.
“We encourage everyone eligible to receive their vaccine and for those fully vaccinated over the age of 16 to get the recommended booster,” said Olenek. “People can find all locations in Will County providing FREE Vaccines on our website www.willcountyhealth.org.”
All recommended doses for every age group and boosters are also listed on the health department’s website along with pop-up clinics that are happening through the county. For a complete list of clinics and hours visit the www.willcountyhealth.org to schedule your vaccine or call 815-774-7386 for assistance.
