MONROE COUNTY, Ill. — As John Wagner, the Administrator for the Monroe County Health Department, was leaving the mass vaccination site at the local fairgrounds he gave 5 On Your Side a call, "It's really frustrating. We're capable of giving between 2,000 and 3,000 doses a day through this site, but we just can't get vaccine."
Instead, Monroe County has been allocated about 400 doses a week.
"We're not even making a dent," Wagner said. "We can't even get through that upper population."
Monday's event was scheduled for most of the day, but wrapped up in less than 2 hours after every vaccine was given out. Two age groups were slated to receive the vaccine Monday, 85 and older, then 75 and older.
Wagner worries that if the current pace continues, Monroe County will be vaccinating for years. He estimates the county has about 36,000 people to vaccinate.
"It would take us three and half years," Wagner explained, "but we still don't know how long the vaccine is actually good for."
Initial studies are indicating the current COVID-19 vaccines are effective for eight to 12 months with a booster. Wagner says that would make the current vaccination rate a big problem, "If we can't get the whole population done in a matter of a month or a month and a half, we're starting to get into that eight months by the time you figure in the second doses."
In neighboring St. Clair County, the supply is a little better, but they would like to see more.
"If we had unlimited supply we could do several thousand a day," Herb Simmons with St. Clair County Emergency Management tells 5 On Your Side.
For now, that's wishful thinking. St. Clair is working with hundreds of doses.
Simmons says they are administering about 550 doses Monday and an additional 550 Tuesday.
"Hopefully the vaccines keep coming and as long as they're coming, we'll have the medical staff to make sure needles get in the arms of our citizens in St. Clair county," Simmons said.
St. Clair's vaccination drive-thru is located at the Belle-Clair Fairgrounds. Simmons told 5 On Your Side it is currently the largest site of it's kind in the state.
Vaccinations at the Belle-Clair Fairgrounds are by appointment only.
Vaccinations at the Monroe County Fairgrounds are first come, first served based on age group.