**Joint Statement on Mabley Developmental Center COVID-19 Vaccine**

The following statement can be attributed to the Lee County Health Department, the Illinois Department of Human Services, AFSCME Council 31, the Illinois League of Advocates for the Developmentally Disabled, and State Representative Tom Demmer:

DIXON - The health, safety, and well-being of the staff and residents of the Mabley Developmental Center is crucial to our community.
 
Together, we are urging everyone working at the Mabley Developmental Center to take the vaccine for COVID-19 that will be made available onsite starting Thursday, January 14.

The FDA/CDC and the best, independent scientific research all agree that the vaccine provides safe and effective protection against the virus and will help us get back to normal.
 
To protect the residents and staff of the Mabley Developmental Center - as well as their families and others in our community - we also respectfully remind everyone: please continue wearing a face covering, wash your hands regularly, and practice social distancing measures.