COVID-19 Illinois: Huntley COVID vaccine site gives McHenry County educators access

HUNTLEY, Ill. (WLS) -- Thousands of teachers in the northwest suburbs will receive their COVID-19 vaccines Friday.

In Huntley, there will be 6,800 vaccines made available to educators across McHenry County.

The process is like a well-oiled machine inside the very spacious Huntley High School on Harmony Road, with a spaced-out clinic.

Thousands of educators will be vaccinated, and on the other side of the table, school nurses are volunteering their time to help administer the Moderna shots.

"The teachers want to go back," said Janet Roskopf, a school nurse and volunteer. "They want their kids back, so this is fantastic. It gives us hope that we will get back to somewhat normal."

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Huntley is on a hybrid program right now; students come into schools a couple days a week.

But officials are hoping to change that. And with 85% of the educators, including teachers, bus drivers and more, saying yes to getting vaccinated, it's a good sign things are turning around.

"I think it shows the commitment our educators have to get our kids back in school and how excited they are to bring some level of normalcy back to life," said Scott Rowe, superintendent for Huntley District 158.

A second clinic is also set up in Woodstock, covering educators in the northern half of McHenry County. They are administering over 2,000 more doses there

That clinic is also staffed by school nurses and community health volunteers.

The educators will be back at the Huntley vaccination site for their second doses on March 11 and 12.