The Biden Administration, Governor JB Pritzker, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth announced the planned opening of a mass vaccination site at the United Center. This means more vaccine and vaccination appointments – especially for seniors.

The City of Chicago is not receiving enough vaccine to expand phase 1b eligibility. There are 713,000 Chicagoans (363,000 seniors 65+ and 350,000 essential workers) currently in phase 1b. However, we have only received 218,250 first doses since we began phase 1b on January 25, 2021. That is only enough vaccine to administer a first dose to 31% of Chicagoans eligible in phase 1b.

CDPH and DFSS joined leaders from Pacific Garden Mission, Lawndale Christian Health Center, and Heartland Alliance Health to administer COVID-19 vaccines to 170 Pacific Garden Mission staff and residents experiencing homelessness. Through ongoing relationships with shelters and community health providers, more than 2,000 initial doses of vaccine have so far been administered to staff and guests across Chicago’s homeless shelter system.

Based on new CDC guidance and data on vaccine effectiveness, CDPH's COVID-19 quarantine requirements have been updated to include exceptions for vaccinated persons meeting specific criteria. Vaccinated persons must continue to adhere to all recommended protective measures, including, but not limited to, wearing a mask and other job-specific PPE, maintaining physical distance, practicing hand hygiene, avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces, and isolating when symptomatic.

This weekend the City of Chicago partnered with CommunityHealth for a special vaccine event​ at CityLights Church, where 250 Spanish-speaking Latinx Chicagoans who live in Belmont Cragin received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. The event was part of the City’s Protect Chicago Plus initiative, which was launched to get the communities most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic at or above the Citywide vaccination rate.

Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) joined staff from the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood yesterday to host the first COVID-19 vaccination event under the city’s Protect Chicago Plus initiative, which is designed to ensure equity in vaccine distribution. Lurie’s clinicians were providing vaccine to over 250 daycare and childcare providers from the community at Northwest Community Church in partnership with CDPH, Northwest Side Housing Center, volunteers organized by the office of Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36th) and other Belmont Cragin community partners.

The City of Chicago has partnered with Zocdoc, the leader in online healthcare scheduling, to streamline Chicagoans access to COVID-19 vaccines. Chicagoans are encouraged to seek a vaccine appointment first with their primary care providers, if they have one, and also through local pharmacies or their employers, if available. But the Zocdoc Vaccine Scheduler will serve as the City's main platform for eligible Chicagoans who otherwise might have difficulty finding and accessing a vaccine.

Interested in helping with the COVID-19 vaccination effort? The Chicago Medical Reserve Corps is one way citizens can volunteer their time and expertise to strengthen both our neighborhoods and our nation.

As of Monday, January 25th, Chicago is in phase 1B of COVID-19 vaccinations.

Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and CDPH announced Protect Chicago Plus, the plan guiding the City’s vaccine distribution to ensure that vaccine reaches the individuals and communities most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially Black and Latinx residents.