Illinois is on a vaccination spree as the number of vaccine doses administered continue to grow every day. According to a Tweet from the Illinois Department of Public Health, over 7 million COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Illinois. 

The CDC recommends vaccines to all Americans who are age 16 or above.

JCHD has administered 55,000 vaccinations, with 32,000 of those being given to Jackson County residents, according to Paula Clark, the division director at the Jackson County Health Department. They are providing vaccinations from Monday to Saturday at the SIU Arena or Banterra Center and the Carbondale Civic Center. 

Among the vaccines offered, Clark said there is no single type that is more popular than others, though some people may have preferences when they come in. 

“There is not a more popular vaccine. Some people have a specific preference, while others prefer Johnson and Johnson because it is only one shot,” Clark said.

On April 13, the Jackson County Health Department announced it would be pausing the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine due to FDA recommendations. Use of the vaccine will resume with the state’s permission.

Clark emphasized their goal to push the vaccine to students as much as possible for their safety. 

“We are encouraging students to come in and receive their vaccination prior to leaving campus for summer. This will ensure a safer and healthier summer, while also assisting in a safe return to campus in the fall,” Clark said.

According to IDPH, 56.5% of women have been vaccinated in Illinois compared to 43% of men. As of April 11, 4,057,681 women have received vaccination as compared to 3,088,511 men in Illinois.

Demographically, the white population is the largest to be vaccinated at 66.6%. This is followed by 10.8% of Hispanics or Latino, 8.82% of the African American population and 5.9% of Asians.

Receiving a vaccination from Jackson County Health Department is free of charge and your insurance is not billed. However, some locations bill insurance companies. 

The IDPH reports that 9,001,105 doses of vaccines have been administered in Illinois. According to Reuters, 187-million-doses-of vaccines have been administered nationally in the U.S.

Staff reporter Diksha Mittal can be reached at dmittal@dailyegyptian.com.

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