OTTAWA - The LaSalle County Health Department announced on Dec. 16 that in coordination with the LaSalle County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) and the LaSalle County Sheriff’s Office, they had received and delivered their first shipment of Pfizer vaccine to all three hospitals within the county.

Hospitals began vaccinating their front-line workers over the following days. “The vaccine will provide our front-line health care workers with the protection they need while caring for patients who have contracted the virus,” said Julie Kerestes, Public Health Administrator of LaSalle County Health Department. “We appreciate the partnership between our local hospitals, EMA, and Sheriff’s Department. All have helped to ensure the timeliness and safety of the vaccine delivery into our county. While the vaccine is a step in the right direction, we need to continue our efforts to keep each other safe. The health department urges all residents, for the health and safety of our community, to continue wearing face-coverings, practice social distancing, wash hands often, and please stay home when you are sick.

“We have a plan in place to immediately start vaccinating our emergency department staff and other critical workers,” said Jennifer Sines, IVCH pharmacy director. “This is a big first step in getting the COVID pandemic under control locally.”

Heather Bomstad, Vice President, Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer, OSF HealthCare Saint Paul Medical Center and OSF HealthCare Saint Elizabeth Medical Center, added, “OSF HealthCare is encouraged by the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of an emergency use authorization of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. We’re proud to work with the State of Illinois who is managing the distribution of the vaccine, in collaboration with the federal government, through local county health departments. A vaccine is our best shot to eradicate the virus, and we are looking forward to our initial allotment and will proudly offer the vaccine to our eligible frontline caregivers.”