Do Illinois Veterans Homes Have a Vaccine Plan?
The Illinois Veterans’ Home in LaSalle, where 31 residents have died from COVID-19. Sources say the facilities are behind on a distribution plan and may not have proper storage facilities.
Two sources tell The Illinoize the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs has not submitted a plan to the Department of Public Health on vaccine distribution at the Veterans’ Homes in Anna, LaSalle, Manteno, and Quincy.
Plans were reportedly due to IDPH last week to be forwarded to the Centers for Disease Control so first doses of the vaccine could be distributed to places where they’re needed like a Veterans’ Home when the first doses of the vaccine are ready for distribution later this month.
A spokesperson for IDVA said she did not know about the vaccine plans and said she would get back to us. We also submitted a question to Governor JB Pritzker and IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike on the topic Thursday, but the Governor’s staff chose not to ask our question. The Governor’s Press Secretary did not respond to a follow-up email.
There are also concerns, apparently, as to how to distribute the vaccine, especially because at least one of the vaccines requires storage in a freezer at around -100° F. For comparison, our home freezers get as low as about -5° F.