Community Corner
Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Could Help Metro East With Distribution
Vaccine allocation in the Metro East has fluctuated since its rollout began in mid-December.
March 03, 2021
Vaccine allocation in the Metro East has fluctuated since its rollout began in mid-December. Local health department officials say allocations have been inconsistent for months now.
"We don't have any control over which manufacturer we have or any given clinic day," said Madison County Health Department spokesperson Amy Yeager. Yeager told News 4 it's not only a toss up of either Pfizer or Moderna, but also the number of shots they receive. Now, another manufacturer is being thrown into the mix, Johnson and Johnson. Yeager says she's hopeful things could get better with additional manufacturers. "Johnson and Johnson will add some additional efficiencies as the one doses become available because we'll be able to get more people through in the same amount of time," Yeager explained. A spokesperson from the Illinois Department of Public Health says that nearly 83,000 Johnson & Johnson vaccines are coming to the state Wednesday. 61,000 of those vaccines are going to regions outside of Chicago. There's no word on the amount coming to the Metro East. Yeager says in addition to vaccines becoming more readily available, the one-dose Johnson & Johnson shot is also easier for local health departments to handle. "Johnson & Johnson is an even less cold storage, so that's easier to store. The less cold is has to be, the easier it is to store and to make it more portable, especially in larger amounts and be able to sustain for the day," Yeager explained. Monroe County Health Department officials say they have no idea when or how many Johnson & Johnson vaccines they'll receive. Right now, nearly 7 percent of the population in Illinois is fully vaccinated. For counties in the Metro East, including Madison, St. Clair, and Monroe, they're hovering around the 5 percent mark.
