Community Coalition to encourage COVID-19 vaccinations

Sep. 17—DANVILLE — Vermilion County Board member Mary Surprenant says it's time for more residents to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

"We have such a proud community; a little bit of our pride has gotten in our way," Surprenant said.

She said Vermilion County remains at the bottom of the Illinois counties list in vaccination rates — 35.89 percent.

"We as leaders in the community... we can do better," she said.

Surprenant has called on the formation of a Community Coalition to encourage more local COVID-19 vaccinations.

She would like to see other county board members and officials, mayors, church leaders and others speak up.

"There will be a coalition meeting," she said.

Surprenant said she decided to speak at this week's Vermilion County Board meeting because she's frustrated and living in a little bit of regret and embarrassment at not speaking up sooner.

She felt in her positions with the county board and United Way, "we claim to advocate for those in our community."

"People are still dying or becoming very ill," she said.

Surprenant said someone might be in the hospital for weeks and using up their life savings, due to maybe not being as well insured.

She said they might survive COVID-19, but then be underwater with debt.

Hospitals also are overwhelmed with those who are unvaccinated.

According to OSF HealthCare, in 14 of its 15 hospitals earlier this week on Sept. 15, 30 fully vaccinated and 111 unvaccinated persons were hospitalized; four fully vaccinated and 25 unvaccinated were in the intensive care unit; and two fully vaccinated and 17 unvaccinated were on ventilators.

Surprenant said someone could go to the hospital for another issue and have to treated in an emergency room chair because there's no other room.

"It's not fair and we could be doing better," she added. "So there's definitely a fire in my heart."

Surprenant said she had reservations too in the beginning about getting the vaccine.

"I just decided it's the right thing to do," she said.

She said she no longer wants to whisper that she's a vaccinated resident of Vermilion County.

"I can't truly be an advocate for the community and not practice what I'm talking about," she said.

As community leaders, "we need to come out of our shells..." she said. "We can no longer be silent."

Vermillion County has seen 178 COVID-related deaths.

"There have been too many lives lost," Surprenant said.

She wants people just to talk about this. It's not with anger, but with urgency and concern, she added, talking about her feelings.

"We need to have courage and get up and talk about it," she said.

"I think our health department has done a good job of getting information out there," Surprenant said, but added she thinks it's become almost white noise and people just continue on with their day.

She wants to talk to people who have concerns about being vaccinated, some needing to do so as part of their jobs.

She said it's also not right if someone wants to get vaccinated, but doesn't because family members are against it.

If someone is scared and has concerns about the vaccine, they can call their doctor or talk to health care professionals and experts such as through the health department.

"It's up to us," Surprenant said.