CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- McHenry County said it turned away about 100 people who were trying to get the COVID vaccine last weekend.
Public Health Nursing Director Susan Karras told the McHenry County Board of Health Monday evening that vaccination appointments are scheduled through links the health department sends out to eligible residents, but some residents who are not eligible are trying to get in with help from those who are.
“People are forwarding the links when they shouldn’t be forwarding the links...Some of the individuals when they were questioned shared that the link was shared to them by somebody that was a Phase 1a that already had their vaccine,” Karras said Monday. "And Phase 1b, you know these first responders in Phase 1b are forwarding it to people who just do not qualify."
Appointment links are sent out via email to eligible residents who have enrolled through the county’s vaccination portal. Those links cannot be deactivated after they are sent, creating a problem if they are forwarded on and used by other people, Karras said.
"This is despicable behavior," said one board member.
Saturday's McHenry County Department of Health vaccine clinic was held to provide vaccines to local residents ages 65 and older and Phase 1a populations.
"We wasted getting 100 doses into people's arms...That’s 100 appointments that could have went to a 65-and-older person," Karras said.
Public Health Administrator Melissa Adamson said Wednesday that she could not confirm exactly what was done with those 100 doses, but said the health department may have saved them for a later clinic.
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According to Karras, residents are not asked to prove their vaccine eligibility when signing up for an appointment, but are asked for identification when entering the county’s vaccine clinics and will be turned away if ineligible.
The McHenry County Health Department is looking to tighten up the system.
“I don’t think we’re going to completely eliminate it, but that was a lot of people to turn away and a lot of wasted appointments," Karras said.