DuPage County says more than 10,000 people have received COVID-19 vaccine in first week

DUPAGE COUNTY – Over 10,000 health care personnel in DuPage County have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine since the first shipment arrived Dec. 16, the county’s health department announced on Wednesday.

Since DuPage County received its first shipment of 13,650 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine last week, the county has worked to distribute the vaccine to local health care partners who have been vaccinating personnel throughout the county.

The county this week expects to receive over 16,000 doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, the county announced. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the Moderna vaccine through an emergency use authorization on Dec. 18.

These next shipments of the COVID-19 vaccine will support efforts to continue working to vaccinate the estimated 43,000 healthcare personnel in DuPage County, which is expected to take several weeks.

Long-term care facilities are the other priority population in Phase 1a, and will receive vaccinations through a federal program, called the Pharmacy Partnership Program.

“We know health care workers have a much higher risk of COVID-19 exposure as they are on the fron tlines of this devastating pandemic. It is imperative that we protect the health and safety of this essential workforce,” DCHD Executive Director Karen Ayala said in a statement. “We are working to ensure all health care workers throughout the county have access to this life-saving tool, protecting not only them but also their patients, families, and our communities.”