As the director of the local health department in Oak Park, Illinois, Dr. Theresa Chapple does a little bit of everything. Reports of menacing wildlife, restaurant inspections, and environmental threats all pile up on her desk. But when the pandemic hit last year, her work became more singularly focused: to keep her community safe from COVID-19.
So far, vaccines have gone a long way in helping her achieve that goal. With two-thirds of eligible Oak Park residents fully vaccinated, the Chicago suburb has mitigated the worst effects of the virus this year. But like in the rest of the country, the delta variant poses a new challenge, and ensuring that the remaining third receives their complete set of shots is Chapple’s latest test. Her routine involves getting out into the community two days a week to talk to residents, and if they haven’t yet been vaccinated, to learn why.
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