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City of Highland Park and Village of Deerfield Collaborate to Vaccinate Area Food Service Workers

City of Highland Park and Village of Deerfield Collaborate to Vaccinate Area Food Service Workers
Vaccination POD created at Patty Turner mass vaccination site for restaurant workers who work in Highland Park or Deerfield 

April 1, 2021 – The City of Highland Park is partnering with the Village of Deerfield to offer a COVID-19 vaccination point of dispensing (POD) for food service workers who work in Highland Park or Deerfield, including employees of full-service, counter-service, and carryout dining establishments. Beginning April 1, 2021, the City will work with Highland Park restaurant and property owners to facilitate vaccination scheduling for interested workers. Restaurant workers were among those who became eligible for COVID-19 vaccination on March 29, 2021. It is estimated that this vaccination POD will serve nearly 1,000 individuals.

“City officials have been working with county and state health officials for months to offer COVID-19 vaccines to our community with a special focus on our most vulnerable populations. We appreciate the opportunity to coordinate with the Village of Deerfield on this important effort to provide the vaccine to food service workers,” stated Mayor Nancy Rotering. “Food service workers have been on the front line, serving our communities throughout the pandemic and have helped to provide a sense of normalcy, convenience, and comfort for so many. Restaurant owners have had to bear the economic challenges of serving the public while weighing the potential health risks to employees.  Creating an opportunity for these workers to get vaccinated will help to protect their health while also giving the public confidence to return to their favorite local restaurants.”

The Patty Turner Center site will provide vaccinations to other targeted PODs to ensure that high-priority populations in southeast Lake County, including residents of senior living communities, essential manufacturing employees, and other essential workers, continue to be prioritized before the State expands eligibility on April 12, 2021.

The result of a partnership between the Lake County Health Department, the Village of Deerfield, the Deerfield Park District, and Doctors Test Centers, the Patty Turner Center vaccination site is expected to begin vaccinations for the general public on April 7, 2021. Appointments will be made available through AllVax. Individuals who live or work in Lake County are encouraged to register with AllVax at allvax.lakeochealth.org.

The City of Highland Park will contact restaurant owners directly with registration information. For questions regarding this opportunity, restaurant owners should contact Business Development Manager Carolyn Hersch at chersch@cityhpil.com. More information about the City’s COVID-19 response may be found at cityhpil.com/covid-19.