Rock Island County Health Department
Walk-In Vaccine Clinics
The health department will offer walk-in vaccine clinics twice a week at its offices at 2112 25th Ave., Rock Island. Both first and second doses of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines will be given, as well as the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The schedule:
- Moderna and Johnson & Johnson: Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to noon and 1-4 p.m., starting June 1
- Pfizer: Fridays, 9 a.m. to noon and 1-4 p.m., starting June 4
In addition, healthcare and pharmacy partners continue to offer all three vaccines. To find a provider, visit vaccines.gov. You can search by ZIP code and vaccine manufacturer.
Pfizer vaccine has now been given emergency use authorization for ages 12 and older. Pfizer is a two-dose vaccination. Those under 18 need consent from a parent or guardian to receive vaccinations.
3rd dose clinics start next week for immunocompromised patients
Remarks from Nita Ludwig, administrator of the Rock Island County Health Department
Starting next week, the Rock Island County Health Department will offer third vaccine doses to severely immunocompromised people, as recommended by both the CDC and the Illinois Department of Public Health. The Moderna vaccine is given each Tuesday, and Pfizer is offered on Fridays at the health department, 2112 25th Ave., Rock Island. Hours are 9-noon and 1-4 p.m. both days.
Two important notes:
- Severely immunocompromised patients must bring their vaccination card with them to receive their third dose.
- Qualifying patients also can receive their third dose from any provider, not just the health department. To find your shot, visit vaccines.gov.
At this time, only people who meet the following criteria will be offered the third dose:
- Been receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood
- Received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
- Received a stem cell transplant within the last two years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
- Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)
- Advanced or untreated HIV infection
- Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress your immune response
Patients should talk to their healthcare provider about their medical condition and whether getting an additional dose is appropriate for them.
At this time, the health department and our healthcare and pharmacy are not offering third doses to people outside of the above criteria. The CDC announced this week that third vaccine doses for the general population should begin in September. General population patients should receive their third dose eight months after the second dose. The health departments and our health care partners are working on plans for this next phase in the vaccination effort and will share information through these briefings, media partners, and on our social media pages when plans are finalized.
These third shots only apply to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, not the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Medical studies are ongoing to find out whether a booster shot will increase protection with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Our top priority remains staying ahead of the virus and protecting our residents from COVID-19 with safe, effective, and long-lasting vaccines. This virus is constantly changing, and we are following the science. Vaccines remain the most powerful tool we have against COVID-19. If you haven’t been vaccinated yet, you should get vaccinated right away. Almost all the cases of severe disease, hospitalization, and death continue to occur among those not yet vaccinated.
To get a copy of your shot record: The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is launching a new immunization portal, Vax Verify, that will allow Illinois residents 18 years and older to check their COVID-19 vaccination record. Vax Verify can be accessed at
https://idphportal.illinois.gov
Did You See our Medical Reserve Corps Billboard? https://richd.org/docs/EmergencyPreparedness/MRCApplication.pdf
Vaccine basics and reminders
What is my second dose optimal window?
Pfizer is 21-42 days and Moderna is 28-42 days. Johnson & Johnson is a one-dose vaccine. If you miss your second dose optimal window, get your second dose as soon as possible. You must receive the same brand of vaccine for your second dose.
Why must I get a second dose?
The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are a two-dose series. The first doses primes your body to fight the virus. The second dose gives your body an antibody boost that makes immunity last longer. Until you get your second dose, you remain at risk of being infected with the virus. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is designed to be a one-dose vaccine and provides excellent protection against serious illness and death.
Is there a cost to getting the vaccine?
There is no cost to you to receive the vaccine. Some providers may ask for your insurance card, but there is no out-of-pocket cost to you. You can be vaccinated even if you don’t have insurance. The federal government has paid for the vaccine.
Why is my vaccination cards so important to keep?
You must bring it to your second-dose appointment, no matter where you receive your dose. This is how your vaccine provider will confirm what vaccine to give you. We suggest keeping it in a safe place, such as where you keep your Social Security card, passport and other important documents. We do not suggest laminating them, but you should make a copy.
What identification is needed?
You may be asked for proof of identification with a photo. Driver’s license is a typical form of ID. Any government-issued ID will be accepted as well, including a Temporary Visitor Driver’s License, a consular ID, or a domestic or foreign passport. Not having identification will not be a barrier to getting vaccinated.
What if I am not an American citizen?
Any person 16 and older, regardless of immigration status, can and should be vaccinated. No immigration status questions will be asked. Your information is confidential. Information collected is for follow-up purposes only and to record which vaccine you received. Vaccine providers may not share your information with ICE or any other immigration official. No immigration status or Social Security number is required.
What are the authorized ages for vaccines?
Pfizer can be given to people 16 and older. Moderna and Johnson & Johnson can be given to people 18 and older.
Why do I still need a mask in public?
Illinois remains under a mask mandate. The general rule is to wear a mask when you can’t distance yourself more than 6 feet from others outside of your household, especially indoors. If you are fully vaccinated (two weeks past second dose) you can take off your mask when you are around other fully vaccinated people, even indoors. When you are in public, you need to wear your mask until the vast majority of the public is fully vaccinated. This is called herd immunity. Getting as close to herd immunity as possible is what will get us out of this pandemic.
Why should I get vaccinated?
The vaccine protects you, your family and your community from this deadly virus. The vaccine has been shown to inhibit transmission, which keeps the virus from infected more people. The more people who have been vaccinated makes all of us safer from the virus, even those who are too young to be vaccinated. This is called herd immunity. Even if we don’t reach the yet-to-be-known herd immunity threshold, having more people vaccinated will make it less likely that the virus will be circulating in our community.
How do I know the vaccines are safe and effective?
Scientists determine the safety and efficacy of a vaccine through regimented clinical trials, which typically are done in three phases with a growing number of participants. None of these steps were skipped in the development of any of the COVID-19 vaccines. The vaccines became available faster because scientists had a head start in their development because of vaccine work during a previous and very similar coronavirus outbreak (SARS-CoV) that, thankfully, did not develop into a pandemic. Ongoing scientific development led to a new method for a vaccine delivery method with messenger RNA, or mRNA.
Can pregnant women get the vaccine?
Yes, if you are pregnant, you can receive a COVID-19 vaccine. COVID-19 vaccination for people who are pregnant has potential benefits for both the pregnant person and the developing baby. Preliminary findings in scientific studies did not show obvious safety concerns among pregnant people who received mRNA vaccines.
Do both doses of the vaccine have to come from the same vaccine?
Yes, both doses must be of the same vaccine. The vaccines cannot be interchanged. As individuals are given their first dose of vaccine, the vaccine manufacturer and other information is recorded in the state’s immunization registry for future use.
What reaction should I expect after getting the vaccine?
The vaccine does not cause someone to get sick with COVID-19. Vaccines teach our immune systems how to recognize and fight the virus that causes COVID-19. Sometimes this process can cause symptoms, such as a sore arm, headache, chills or fever. These symptoms are normal and are signs the body is building immunity.
You can expect side effects to go away without complication or injury within about a day or two. Remember, these are signs that your immune system is responding to the vaccine and building immunity.
I already had COVID-19, should I still get the vaccine?Not enough is known about how long natural immunity lasts for those that have recovered from the virus. The CDC is still learning more about natural immunity to COVID-19. The CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) will make recommendations to CDC on who should get a COVID-19 vaccine.
The vaccine can increase your protection from the virus.
I’m healthy. Why do I need to be vaccinated?
While you may be healthy, many individuals in our community have risk factors for getting serious complications from COVID-19 infection. Getting a COVID-19 vaccination protects you so you may protect others around you as well.
I’m nervous about getting the vaccine. What should I do?
It’s normal to be nervous about something new and to have questions. We encourage you to ask questions and get answers to your questions from reliable sources. We recommend looking for information from the CDC, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), both state health departments, and our local health departments.
As it gets closer to the time when the vaccine may be available for you, your healthcare provider will also be a great resource to talk with about the COVID-19 vaccine.
What can you tell us about the new method of vaccine being used, called mRNA vaccines? (MODERNA & PFIZER)
They cannot give someone COVID-19.
mRNA vaccines do not use the live virus that causes COVID-19.
They do not affect or interact with our DNA in any way.
mRNA stimulates the body’s cells to produce a protein that looks like the COVID virus to our immune system. This kickstarts the product of antibodies that fight the actual virus.
mRNA never enters the nucleus of the cell, which is where our DNA (genetic material) is kept.
The cell breaks down and gets rid of the mRNA soon after it does its job.
Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine
Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of the Pfizer-Biontech COVID-19 Vaccine
Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine
Ways to register for vaccine:
- Hy-Vee: https://www.hy-vee.com/my-pharmacy/covid-vaccine-consent
- Walgreens: https://www.walgreens.com/findcare/vaccination/covid-19
- Jewel Osco: albertsons.com/covidclinic
- Community Health Care: Complete form on CHCQCA.org
Total number of positive COVID-19 cases reported to Rock Island County Health Department: 17,443** Deaths: 344
**Numbers Reported Daily
Sources for these answers
- https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/faq.html
- https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq
- https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/resources/general-resources/frequently-asked-questions+covid-19-vaccine
COVID MEDIA RELEASES
COVID-19 Media Briefing 9-22-21
COVID-19 Booster Shots & Child Vaccine Q&A
COVID-19 Media Briefing 9-20-21
COVID-19 Media Briefing 9-17-21
COVID-19 Media Briefing 9-15-21
COVID-19 Media Briefing 9-13-21
COVID-19 Media Briefing 9-10-21
COVID-19 Media Briefing 9-8-21
COVID-19 QC COVID COALITION 9-3-21
COVID-19 Media Briefing 9-3-21
COVID-19 Media Briefing 9-1-21
COVID-19 QC COALITION Media Briefing 8-19-21
For County Level COVID-19 Risk Metrics, visit www.dph.illinois.gov/countymetrics
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) in coordination with the Illinois Poison Control Center have launched the Illinois COVID-19 Hotline and email address to answer questions clinicians and the general public may have regarding COVID-19.
Illinoisans can dial 1-800-889-3931 twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week or email DPH.SICK@ILLINOIS.GOV to get their questions answered.
More information
- https://coronavirus.illinois.gov/s/restore-illinois-mitigation-plan
- https://www.scottcountyiowa.gov/health/post/do-masks-prevent-covid-19
- TogetherQC.com
- iowa.gov
- https://www.dph.illinois.gov/covid19
- https://www.dph.illinois.gov/regionmetrics?regionID=2
- https://www.dph.illinois.gov/countymetrics?county=Rock%20Island
- https://www2.illinois.gov/idoc/facilities/Pages/Covid19Response.aspx
- https://www.dph.illinois.gov/covid19/long-term-care-facility-outbreaks-covid-19
- CDC COVID-19 webpage
- What is COVID-19? Guidance for Work Crews (Migrant Farm Workers -English)
- Que es COVID-19? Guidance for Work Crews (Migrant Farm Workers – Spanish)
- Quad City Behavioral Health Coalition COVID-19 Service List
- HOW DO MASKS HELP (Click to read)?
Other important news from the WIC office: WIC is not affected by recent Federal public benefit policy. Click here for more information: WICpublicchargeFAQ013120
WIC is here for you during COVID-19 (English)
WIC is here for you during COVID-19 (Spanish)
About the Rock Island County Health Department
Rock Island County Health Department prevents disease, promotes wellness of mind and body, protects public health and prepares for emergencies. To learn more visit or call us at 309-793-1955.