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SPRINGFIELD – Positive cases of COVID-19 are surging in Illinois at a time when family and friends gather for the holidays. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has partnered with SHIELD Illinois to offer 20 free community COVID-19 PCR rapid testing before the holidays. The State is also hosting more than 75 vaccination events through the holiday season, offering residents the opportunity to get vaccinated or boosted at sites in their communities.
Massac Memorial Hospital in Metropolis is one of 20 community testing sites. You can get tested from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Please visit idph.illinois.gov for more details.
In addition to doctor’s offices, pharmacies, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC), and local health departments, the State of Illinois offers one-day vaccine clinics throughout the state through the Community Partners Vaccination Program (CPVP). This state-run program works to improve access and availability of the COVID-19 vaccine by working with trusted community partners. Within the last two weeks, the Community Partners program administered more than 8,000 through one-day partnerships with Cook County Health.
You can get the Adult Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccine on Monday, Dec. 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 pm. at the Fraternal Order of Eagles on West Linden Street in Carbondale and on Wednesday, Dec. 29 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Alexander/Pulaski County NAACP – First Missionary Baptist Church on 37th Street in Cairo.
At these state-run vaccination clinics, vaccines are available to any Illinois resident, and no appointment, no identification or health insurance will be required.
All three vaccines offer booster doses. Health officials are encouraging those who are fully vaccinated to receive a booster dose to maximize the protection from COVID-19. While adults have the ability to mix-and-match their booster vaccine, 16- and 17-year-olds are only authorized to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech booster.
Pfizer-BioNTech
Booster: 16 years and older
Six months after second Pfizer-BioNTech dose
Moderna
Booster: 18 years and older
Six months after second Moderna dose
Johnson & Johnson
Booster: 18 years and older
2 months after initial vaccination
If you are unable to attend one of these three mass vaccination booster clinics, you can visit vaccines.gov to find a clinic near you.
The State is also offering staff assistance to hospitals through private staffing contracts, with over 1,100 healthcare staff deployed to hospitals across the state to date. This is in addition to the work to provide hospitals monoclonal Antibodies (mAbs) and antiviral treatments as quickly as they are made available.
