Six Illinois counties, including Kankakee and Livingston counties, will participate in a rural vaccination program this week, with the aim of fully vaccinating 8,000 residents in predominately rural areas.
According to a press release from Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office, the program will feature mobile vaccination teams heading to the six different counties to administer the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
“Our Rural Vaccination Program is seeing extraordinary results in its first weeks, and I’m thrilled to see this program expand to additional counties,” Pritzker said in a statement. “These sites bring thousands of doses directly into the community, reducing transportation barriers and ensuring residents in all corners of Illinois have access to this life-saving vaccine.”
Appointments for the vaccination events will be prioritized for county residents, with local health departments getting assistance from members of the Illinois National Guard, according to the release.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter here.
Here are the six counties participating:
| Date | Location | Appointment | Eligibility | Doses Available |
| April 5-7 | Kankakee County | https://www.kankakeehealth.org/ | Age 18+ | 2,100 |
| April 6 | Vermilion County | https://vchd.org/ | Age 18+ | 1,000 |
| April 8-9 | Livingston County | https://events.juvare.com/IL-IDPH/96383173-6c46-4375-84f7-a6ed3440d78b/ | Age 18+ | 1,200 |
| April 9-10 | Coles County | https://www.co.coles.il.us/cchd/index.html | Age 18+ | 2,000 |
| April 11 -12 | DeWitt County | https://www.dewittpiatthealth.com/ (217)935-3427 ext. 2112 | Age 18+ | 1,200 |
| April 12 | White County | tinyurl.com/EHDVaccine (618) 273-3326 | Age 18+ | 700 |
More information can be found on the state’s coronavirus response website.
