U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis sees a light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to COVID-19 vaccine distribution.
Davis urged patience from those who are still waiting to become eligible, or who are having trouble finding a vaccine appointment.
“Remember a year ago, nobody could get PPE (personal protective equipment),” Davis said. “Now, you can buy masks everywhere. No one's worried about hand sanitizer or toilet paper. That's going to happen with the vaccines, because we keep producing and producing and producing."
Davis said he's confident all Americans who want a vaccine will be able to get one by the May 1 deadline set by President Joe Biden. Davis said that’s facilitated by billions of dollars spent by Congress on vaccination efforts—including $28 billion in the latest round of COVID relief. He also credited the work done by local health departments.
The clinic at the Grossinger Motors Arena has capacity to distribute around 1,000 to 2,000 doses daily, according to health officials. Right now, the daily distribution is about 500. Davis said once that ramps up, it’s time for policy makers to move forward with reopening plans.
“When you look at a facility like this, you want to see people here,” he said. “Now that we’ve been able to look back at a year, we see what this disease is much more about. We’ve been able to get statistics on the prevalence of spread in groups, in schools, in other businesses and other communities. Now let’s use that data to reopen our economy.”
But reopening also requires cooperation from the community, Davis said.
A recent NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll indicates nearly half of Republican men don’t plan to get a shot when offered. Davis, who is fully vaccinated, encourages people to set their political stances aside.
"The last thing that should have a political litmus test is a vaccine that is going to help keep you from being hospitalized from this disease,” Davis said.
That applies to both sides of the aisle, he said, noting some Democrats—including Vice President Kamala Harris—questioned taking the COVID-19 vaccine under then-President Trump’s administration.
Davis also cautioned against believing disinformation and conspiracy theories about the vaccines. The science on safety and efficacy are sound, he said.
“I haven’t felt a chip in me and I’ve had two shots. It’s frustrating, because I believe in American ingenuity and the American people. We as a country led the way on developing three vaccines for a disease no one on earth knew existed a year and a half ago. There’s always going to be scare tactics. I tell people all the time: Don’t believe everything you read on the internet.”
All Illinoisans over the age of 16 are set to become eligible for vaccines on April 12. The McLean County Health Department is currently providing shots for those in the 1A, 1B and 1B+ categories.
McLean County trails the state in vaccination rates. About 13.5% percent of county residents are fully vaccinated. Illinois’s rate is about 16.5%.
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