Gov. JB Pritzker visits Grundy County mass vaccination site, says state is getting ‘closer to normal’

MORRIS – Gov. JB Pritzker paid a visit to the Grundy County mass vaccination site at the former Shabbona Middle School, 725 School St. in Morris, and spoke about the importance of vaccinations and keeping safe.

In front of an audience that included state Rep. David Welter, Grundy County State’s Attorney Jason Helland, Morris Mayor Richard Kopczick and Grundy County Health Department Administrator Michelle Pruim, Pritzker spoke of the hope that the pandemic is coming to a close but also about the need to continue to follow protocols and guidelines regarding the virus.

“It has been a long 12 months for everyone,” Pritzker said. “The progress is getting closer and closer to getting us back to normal, but patience still has to be our watchword.”

Pritzker said the state National Guard is supporting some 60 vaccination sites across the state. The Grundy County site, he said, currently is receiving 550 doses of vaccine per week, with the potential for that to increase to 800 to 1,000 per week. Currently, vaccinations are available to anyone 16 and older who has an underlying condition. The mass vaccination site is by appointment only, and those interested in receiving a vaccine should fill out a form at grundyhealth.com. The Grundy County Health Department will then contact individuals via email or telephone to inform them of their appointment.

Pritzker also said there are some 880 vaccination sites in the state, which can be found at coronavirus.illinois.gov. There are 22 mass vaccination sites as well.

Pritzker then announced Welter, who spoke about the Grundy County community.

“The fact is our community came together to put a plan in place and presented that to the state for consideration,” Welter said. “We made the ask, and the governor delivered. With the new allocations and the support on the ground, we are finishing up the first list of educators in our community that wanted to be vaccinated with at least their first dose. This is just one of many milestones we are proud to have accomplished together.

“There are so many people to thank. First, I want to thank Michelle Pruim from the Grundy County Health Department. Who would have thought a year ago that your position and role in our community would be what it is today? You and your team are truly doing an outstanding job.

“I also want to thank Mark Steadman and his team at the Morris Hospital for their continued commitment to fighting this terrible disease. Early on in this pandemic, Mark and his team offered vital services to our community and a robust testing program that helped allow our community to safely reopen. They have also partnered with us to help the vaccine program, and we know they will continue to offer the community the health care they deserve and they need.”

Welter also thanked Joe Schroeder and Corbin Flynn of the Grundy County Emergency Management Agency, District 54 Superintendent Shannon Dudek and the county’s first responders.

Welter finished by offering condolences to Jennifer Price, who recently lost her husband, Ben, to COVID-19 psychosis and said that more research on COVID-19 psychosis is necessary.

According to research published by the National Institutes of Health, COVID-19 infection seems to increase the risk for neuropsychiatric symptoms including psychosis, with symptoms including persecutory delusions, auditory hallucinations of gossip, suicidal thoughts and behavior, and sleep disturbances.

Pruim then said that in the first week of Shabbona school being open as a vaccination site, the allocation of vaccine doses to Grundy County has quadrupled.

Pruim later said the vaccine still is recommended for those who already have tested positive for COVID-19.

“The state experts recommend that those who have already had COVID get the vaccine once they are healthy and out of quarantine or isolation,” she said. “We are still studying this virus, and we recommend that people get the vaccine.”

Pruim said the facility will be open for at least 90 days.