New COVID-19 vaccination site coming Wednesday to Elgin

A new COVID-19 vaccination site will open Wednesday on Elgin's east side.

The new site, at Elgin's Eastside Recreational Center, is a collaboration between Kane County, Cook County and the city of Elgin. It will operate six days per week, though exact days and hours are still being determined.

Kane County Board Chairman Corinne Pierog said in a news release that the site "will provide access to Cook and Kane counties' underserved communities."

The site, located at 1080 East Chicago Street in Elgin, is the third in Kane County and uses a recreation center that had been closed during the pandemic. Pierog said in the news release that the cross-county vaccination partnership is the first of its kind in Illinois.

"The city is proud to host a vaccination site in Elgin and support all of the counties' efforts to help get as many Elgin residents vaccinated as quickly as possible, especially our underserved population that will benefit from this site's ideal location," said Elgin Mayor David Kaptain.

The site will offer free COVID-19 vaccines to all eligible Illinoisans. Beginning Monday, all individuals above age 16 will be eligible to receive the vaccine. Registration is required at the new Elgin location and residents can check for appointments by going to www.kanevax.org or by calling 855-4- KaneVax.

The vaccination site will be in partnership with the state of Illinois, which will provide National Guard resources. The City of Elgin will manage the site.

"This site creates more access to vaccine for our residents and will provide greater reach for us to help vulnerable populations that have been more impacted by COVID, including our African American and LatinX populations," said Kathy Fosser, interim executive director at the Kane County Health Department. "Our strategy to protect all of our residents utilizes these mass vax sites, partnerships with other clinical partners and mobile teams."