Vaccine clinic opens at former Toys “R” Us store in Joliet

In a matter of days the former Toys “R” Us store near the Louis Joliet Mall has been transformed into the newest mass vaccination site in Will County.

Workers started injecting shots into arms on Thursday along with the help of about 30 members of the Illinois National Guard. The Illinois Department of Public Health has said it expects about 800 shots per day to be administered at the site.

Appointments already have been made through most of April.

Dr. Kenneth Campbell, the executive assistant to the IDPH director who visited the site on Thursday, said his agency and Gov. JB Pritzker have supported efforts to establish mass vaccination sites around the state.

“The local health departments are the drivers to this,” Campbell said. “The Illinois National Guard has been exceptional.”

The National Guard members assisted the Will County Health Department and Will County Emergency Management Agency in converting the vacant store into a space suitable for the clinic.

Guard members will mostly be helping check people in and out for their appointments, maintaining the flow of patients, and monitoring those who have received their shot for any adverse reactions.

Will County officials had said for the past few weeks they were in talks with the IDPH about setting up a mass vaccination site with help from the National Guard. The two sides finalized a plan for the former Toys “R” Us site late last week and the space was prepared to open Thursday.

Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant, D-Shorewood, said the county was grateful for the help of the IDPH and National Guard. She said staff from the county health department and Emergency Management Agency have been working around the clock to open more vaccination clinics.

“As soon as supplies was ramped up, we had the means to get these larger facilities ready,” she said.

Bertino-Tarrant added county officials are still discussing the possibility of opening another mass vaccination site in the northern part of the county to reach the larger population there. Talks have been ongoing about potentially using the Joliet Junior College northern campus in Romeoville.

Still, municipalities have worked to establish other smaller clinics, like in Bolingbrook where the village will run a site next week.

The Will County Health Department also opened two vaccination clinics in Wilmington and Monee to reach residents in more rural areas the past two weeks.

Sue Olenek, the executive director of the Will County Health Department, said appointment slots at the Toys “R” Us site already have filled up through most of April, but other providers around the county have open spots for appointments.

Will County is in Phase 1b of the state’s vaccination plan, meaning certain residents age 16 and up who are essential workers or who have certain underlying health conditions are eligible for a vaccine. On April 12, the state will open up vaccinations for all residents age 16 and up.

For more information on where to find a vaccine provider in Will County, visit willcountyhealth.org.