Pritzker tours vaccination center at Morton East High school

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Cicero Clerk Maria Punzo-Arias, Cicero Senior Director Diana Dominick, Gov. J.B. Pritzker, State Rep. Michael Zalewski, State Rep. Lisa Hernandez, Morton High School Board President Jeffry Pesek, and Morton High School Supt. Dr. Tim Truesdale. Photo courtesy of the Town of Cicero.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Cicero Clerk Maria Punzo-Arias, Cicero Senior Director Diana Dominick, Gov. J.B. Pritzker, State Rep. Michael Zalewski, State Rep. Lisa Hernandez, Morton High School Board President Jeffry Pesek, and Morton High School Supt. Dr. Tim Truesdale. Photo courtesy of the Town of Cicero.

Pritzker tours vaccination center at Morton East High school

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker toured a state designated vaccination site on Thursday located at Morton East High school, 2423 South Austin Boulevard, in the Town of Cicero.

Pritzker announced during the tour that the state will receive $45 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to increase local health departments’ vaccination efforts.

“The capacity to deliver, to administer vaccines across the state is significantly increasing,” Pritzker said. The governor cited a drive-thru facility located in Lake County he said will administer 1,000 vaccines a day.

Joining Pritzker during the tour was Morton High School Supt. Dr. Tim Truesdale, Morton High School Board President Jeffry Pesek, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, State legislators Lisa Hernandez and Michael Zalewski, and Cicero officials including Clerk Maria Punzo-Arias, Senior Director Diana Dominick and the Illinois Adjutant General Major General Richard R. Neely.

Photo caption: Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Cicero Clerk Maria Punzo-Arias, Cicero Senior Director Diana Dominick, Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Illinois Adjutant General Major General Richard R. Neely, State Rep. Lisa Hernandez, State Rep. Michael Zalewski, and Morton High School Supt.Dr.  Tim Truesdale. Photo courtesy of the Town of Cicero.
Photo caption: Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Cicero Clerk Maria Punzo-Arias, Cicero Senior Director Diana Dominick, Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Illinois Adjutant General Major General Richard R. Neely, State Rep. Lisa Hernandez, State Rep. Michael Zalewski, and Morton High School Supt.Dr.  Tim Truesdale. Photo courtesy of the Town of Cicero.

“We are honored to have Governor Pritzker visit Morton East High school and show support for our efforts to distribute the vaccinations,” Truesdale said. “To beat the coronavirus, we have to do it as a team and work together.”

Pesek told the governor that Morton is willing to have their school properties and staff assist in distributing the vaccines to the public.

“We are the only school district in Cook County that has a health clinic funded by the county and we appreciate the support that we continue to receive,” Pesek said. “Our health clinic will be on the frontlines of distributing the COVID-19 vaccinations and we appreciate the governor coming here to show support for what we are doing.”

Cicero’s Health Department has administered 2,000 vaccinations during the past week at the Cicero Community Center. Individuals receiving the vaccination were required to schedule an appointment with the Health Department using the Town’s website and completing a special vaccination form. But hundreds of people showed up hoping that vaccinations might be available to walk-ins and without an appointment.

Cicero Clerk Maria Punzo-Arias, Senior Center Director Diana Dominick and Gov. J.B. Pritzker. Photo courtesy of the Town of Cicero
Cicero Clerk Maria Punzo-Arias, Senior Center Director Diana Dominick and Gov. J.B. Pritzker. Photo courtesy of the Town of Cicero

“It was important for the Governor to see how Cicero is doing everything it can to administer the vaccinations as efficiently as possible,” Maria Punzo-Arias said. “The governor’s presence here today shows that he wants to do everything he can to get everyone in the state vaccinated.”

Under the Illinois Department of Public Health guidelines only individuals listed in the Category 1A and 1B designations can receive the vaccine. That includes first responders, health care workers, employees and individuals 65 years of age and older.

Diana Dominick said that the Senior Center was helping to coordinate the vaccinations among the town’s senior citizen community.

“We are helping seniors to schedule their appointments and as more vaccinations come in and are made available to the Town of Cicero, we will eventually be able to ensure that every senior gets their vaccination for the COVID-19 virus,” Diana Dominick said.

Also attending the tour with the governor were Cook County Health CEO Israel Rocha, Jr., and Cook County Director of External Affairs Sandra Lewis.

 

Pritzker recorre el centro de vacunación en Morton East High School

El gobernador de Illinois, J.B. Pritzker, visitó el jueves un sitio de vacunación designado y  ubicado en la escuela secundaria Morton East, 2423 South Austin Boulevard, en la ciudad de Cicero.

Pritzker anunció durante la gira que el estado recibirá $45 millones de la Agencia Federal para el Manejo de Emergencias (FEMA) para aumentar los esfuerzos de vacunación de los departamentos de salud locales.

“La capacidad de administrar vacunas en todo el estado está aumentando significativamente”, dijo Pritzker. El gobernador citó una instalación para autoservicio ubicada en el condado de Lake que dijo que administrará 1,000 vacunas al día.

Pritzker se unió durante la gira al Superintendente del Distrito. 201 ‘Morton High School’  Dr. Tim Truesdale,  a Jeffry Pesek, al presidente de la junta de la escuela secundaria Morton H.S.,  a Toni Preckwinkle, presidenta de la junta del condado de Cook, a los legisladores estatales Lisa Hernández y Michael Zalewski, y a los funcionarios de Cicero, incluidos la secretaria Marie Punzo-Arias, la directora principal Diana Dominick y el ayudante general de Illinois, el General de división Richard R. Neely.

“Nos sentimos honrados de que el gobernador Pritzker visite la escuela secundaria Morton East y muestre su apoyo a nuestros esfuerzos para distribuir las vacunas”, dijo Truesdale. “Para vencer al coronavirus, tenemos que hacerlo en equipo y debemos trabajar juntos”.

Senior Center Director Diana Dominick (center), and Illinois Adjutant General Major General Richard R. Neely (right). Photo courtesy of the Town of Cicero
Senior Center Director Diana Dominick (center), and Illinois Adjutant General Major General Richard R. Neely (right). Photo courtesy of the Town of Cicero

Pesek le dijo al gobernador que Morton está dispuesto a que las propiedades de la escuela y el personal ayudarán a distribuir las vacunas al público.

“Somos el único distrito escolar en el condado de Cook que tiene una clínica de salud financiada por el condado y agradecemos el apoyo que seguimos recibiendo”, dijo Pesek. “Nuestra clínica de salud estará a la vanguardia en la distribución de las vacunas COVID-19 y agradecemos que el gobernador venga aquí para mostrar su apoyo a lo que estamos haciendo”.

El Departamento de Salud de Cicero ha administrado 2,000 vacunas durante la semana pasada en el Centro Comunitario de Cicero. Las personas que esperaban recibir la vacuna debían programar una cita con el Departamento de Salud utilizando el sitio web de la ciudad y completar un formulario de vacunación especial. Pero cientos de personas se presentaron con la esperanza de que las vacunas estuvieran disponibles para personas sin cita previa y sin cita.

“Fue importante para el gobernador ver cómo Cicero está haciendo todo lo posible para administrar las vacunas de la manera más eficiente posible”, dijo María Punzo-Arias. “La presencia del gobernador aquí hoy demuestra que quiere hacer todo lo posible para que todos en el estado se vacunen”

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Cicero Clerk Maria Punzo-Arias, Cicero Senior Director Diana Dominick, Gov. J.B. Pritzker, State Rep. Michael Zalewski, State Rep. Lisa Hernandez, Morton High School Board President Jeffry Pesek, and Morton High School Supt. Dr. Tim Truesdale. Photo courtesy of the Town of Cicero.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Cicero Clerk Maria Punzo-Arias, Cicero Senior Director Diana Dominick, Gov. J.B. Pritzker, State Rep. Michael Zalewski, State Rep. Lisa Hernandez, Morton High School Board President Jeffry Pesek, and Morton High School Supt. Dr. Tim Truesdale. Photo courtesy of the Town of Cicero.

Según las pautas del Departamento de Salud Pública de Illinois, sólo las personas incluidas en las designaciones de Categoría 1A y 1B pueden recibir la vacuna. Eso incluye socorristas, trabajadores de la salud, empleados e individuos de 65 años o más.

Diana Dominick dijo que el Centro para Personas Mayores estaba ayudando a coordinar las vacunas entre la comunidad de personas mayores de la ciudad.

“Estamos ayudando a las personas mayores a programar sus citas y a medida que lleguen más vacunas y están disponibles en la ciudad de Cicero, eventualmente podremos asegurarnos de que todas las personas mayores se vacunen contra el virus COVID-19”, dijo Diana Dominick.

También asistieron a la gira con el gobernador el director general de salud del condado de Cook, Israel Rocha, Jr., y la directora de asuntos externos del condado de Cook, Sandra Lewis.