CHAMPAIGN, IL – The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD), in partnership with Carle Health, OSF HealthCare, Christie Clinic, Promise Healthcare, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are preparing two community-based COVID-19 vaccination clinics for Champaign County residents 75 years of age or older. The group will hold vaccination clinics January 12-14, 2021 from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. by appointment only. Appointments are available at either community location regardless of where you receive medical care.
To register for a vaccination at the former Dress Barn store in the Kohl’s Plaza located at 1901 N. Market Street, Champaign, please use one of the following methods:
- The fastest way to register is online through MyCarle.
- Log in or sign up for MyCarle at MyCarle.com.
- Scheduling is also available by calling (217) 902-6100 but you may experience a longer wait time.
- If you do not feel well the day of your appointment, please call to reschedule.
To register for a vaccination at the iHotel and Conference Center located at 1900 S. 1st Street, Champaign, please use one of the following methods:
- Online at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B054CA8A82CA5F94-covid1.
- Scheduling is also available by calling (217) 239-7877.
- Entrance for the clinic will be through the east wing of the iHotel and Conference Center.
- If you do not feel well the day of your appointment, please call to reschedule.
The vaccination is free but providers may charge an administrative fee which is determined by an individual’s insurance coverage. If you have questions about your specific coverage, please call the number on the back of your insurance card. The two clinics provide an easy and accessible entrance and protection from the elements while accommodating the necessary social distancing. Patients will need to wear a face covering and plan to allow at least 15 minutes for observation after the vaccination. Please limit the number of individuals in your party that are not receiving the vaccine and wear clothing to allow easy access to the upper portion of the arm for the injection.
Pfizer and Moderna are both a two-dose series that are 90-95 percent effective after both vaccinations with the second dose either 21 or 28 days later as directed by the manufacturer. Individuals will receive information on how to sign up for text reminders for their second dose as well as receive a vaccination record card with their return date for the second dose.
The vaccine does not contain a live virus and you cannot get COVID from the vaccine. Some people may develop side effects from their body building immunity which includes soreness at the injection site, fever, headache or body aches. Symptoms should resolve in 24-48 hours. The body takes several weeks to build immunity so people could be infected just before receiving the vaccine or shortly after so continuing proven infection prevention measures is important. Continue to wear a mask, socially distance, wash hands frequently, and stay home if you are sick.
“It is important for people to understand pharmaceutical companies invested significant resources into quickly developing a vaccine for COVID-19 because of the urgent need for the vaccine worldwide. It does not mean they bypassed safety protocols or any phase of testing,” said Awais Vaid, Deputy Administrator and Epidemiologist, Champaign-Urbana Public Health District.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), COVID-19 vaccines are being held to the same safety standards as all vaccines. Factors that resulted in an accelerated vaccine development timeline where:
- Researchers used existing clinical trial networks to begin conducting COVID-19 vaccine trials.
- Manufacturing was started while the clinical trials were still underway. Normally, manufacturing doesn’t begin until after completion of the trials.
- mRNA vaccines are faster to produce than traditional vaccines.
- FDA and CDC are prioritizing review, authorization, and recommendation of COVID-19 vaccines.
For more information, visit the COVID-19 Prevention Network: https://www.coronaviruspreventionnetwork.org/about-covpn.
The Illinois Department of Public Health has compiled a comprehensive list of frequently asked questions about the COVID-19 vaccination. Information can be found at: http://dph.illinois.gov/covid19/vaccine-faq.
To track the phases and local vaccinations, visit https://www.c-uphd.org/covid-vaccinations.html.
