DeKALB – The DeKalb County Health Department will discontinue its mass vaccination clinics at the Convocation Center and instead offer mobile event opportunities and walk-in clinics due to the decline in demand for COVID-19 vaccines. 

Following 10 weeks of mass vaccination clinics at the Convocation Center, the county health department has decided to change its COVID-19 vaccine model, according to a Friday news release from the health department. The Illinois National Guard and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Contractual Nurses ended their deployment in DeKalb County Thursday.

The last day of COVID-19 vaccines at the NIU Convocation Center will be June 10. After June 10, there are no scheduled mass vaccination clinics where registration will be required. Instead, vaccine clinics will be available as mobile opportunities throughout the county and offered at the DeKalb County Health Department on weekdays, no appointment required.

Lisa Gonzalez, public health administrator of the DeKalb County Health Department, said since January 14, the health department has been able to provide 61 clinics and over 44,642 COVID-19 vaccinations at the Convocation Center site.

“Now we are shifting our efforts to offer more convenience-based opportunities to reach those who are still interested in receiving the vaccine,” Gonzalez said in the news release. “These convenience-based opportunities will include offering walk-in clinics at our Health Department location and offering pop-up vaccine opportunities in the community through partnerships with neighborhood organizers, faith communities and local businesses.” 

Final dates for a COVID-19 vaccine at the Convocation Center are:

• Tuesday: 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccine
• Thursday: 4 p.m. to 6:45 p.m., Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccine
• Thursday, June 10: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccine

Residents who are due for their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines after June 10 are urged to walk in for their second dose at the health department or with another COVID-19 vaccine provider. 

Beginning Tuesday, the health department will have walk-in clinics five days a week from  8:30 to 11:30 a.m and 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the DeKalb County Health Department, 2550 N. Annie Glidden Road.