Originally published on April 14, 2021 11:03 pm
Members of the McLean County Board of Health said Wednesday that it s a priority to maintain the county’s full COVID-19 contact tracing program.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has OK d extending the program through Dec. 31. County health department administrator Jessica McKnight explained, however, that current funding won t cover the 50-person staff through that date.
During Wednesday’s board meeting, she and the department s clinical services administrator, Tammy Brook, shared a staffing reduction plan: cutting tracers by more than half from 50 to 20 on June 1, and then to 10 after Aug. 31. The tracers also are trained to work at the county’s COVID-19 call center.
The McLean County Board of Health meets Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021.
The continuing COVID pandemic, and the challenges facing the health department because of it, were the focus of Wednesday’s McLean County Board of Health meeting.
The department is developing long-term plans beyond spring, but still is unable to plan out for vaccine quantities for more than a week at a time, said administrator Jessica McKnight.
MCHD learns Wednesday or Thursday how many doses will arrive the following week. And on Friday, staff learns if vaccine for second doses to be given a month after a first dose will be shipped the following week. So, it’s quite a complicated system.
The McLean County Board of Health met Wednesday, January 13, 2021
As Illinois COVID-19 vaccine distribution begins its next phase Monday, many older residents and essential workers are eager to get their shots, officials said at Wednesday s meeting of the McLean County Board of Health.
Currently, in Phase 1a, only health care workers and nursing home residents can be vaccinated against the coronavirus. But the department is readying for Phase 1b, said Jessica McKnight, McLean County Health Department administrator.
In this next phase, people 65 and older and everyone from educators to grocery store clerks, will be able to access the vaccine. A full list of eligibity criteria is on the department s website.