Kane Health Dept. to offer vaccines at community events, festivals this summer

Anyone who’s still looking to get a COVID-19 vaccine may be able to get their shot while shopping at a local farmers market or strolling through one of the many festivals in Kane County.

In an effort to get more people vaccinated, the Kane County Health Department will be offering free vaccines at a variety of community events, including Geneva’s Swedish Days, this summer.

“Thousands of people are still getting shots every day, and we’re starting to shift our focus to get out into the community even more by attending events like farmers markets and festivals,” explained Michael Isaacson, assistant director of community health at the Kane County Health Department. “Even though we’re pleased with the [vaccination numbers], the more people who get vaccinated, the quicker we’ll return to normal.”

Isaacson said he’s hoping that the convenience of the health department being at those events will encourage more people to get vaccinated.

Jarett Sanchez, chair of the public health committee on the Kane County Board, said in a text that more events are expected to be added to the calendar soon.

According to the Health Department, as of Monday, 233,951 residents, or 43.79% of Kane County’s population, are fully vaccinated. While Isaacson said he’s pleased with that number for now, more people still need to get their shots.

“Our initial goal back in December was to reach 70% [fully vaccinated residents],” he said. “I think we’ll close in on that and push that number even higher. We’ve done an excellent job vaccinating senior citizens, and we’re seeing a lot of vaccinations in the 16 and under population.”

Just over 85% of Kane County’s 65 and over population are fully vaccinated, and Isaacson is hopeful that children under 12 can receive vaccines by the fall. He said that vaccinations are they way to end the pandemic.

“We’ll continue to watch the data everyday, and hope to not see a resurgence but we’ll be prepared if we do,” he said. “We’ve been happy with the vaccine numbers going up, along with fewer cases and a lower test positivity rate than we’ve had in over a year. Vaccinations are the largest thing that’s protecting us now.”

As of Monday, Kane County’s positivity rate was 1.9%.