Latest Updates

February 28, 2021

The FDA approved the EUA for Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine. This is great news for the City of Chicago’s vaccination efforts. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is safe and effective, especially in preventing severe illness and death, requires a single dose and has fewer reported side effects than other available COVID-19 vaccines. We are anticipating Chicago will receive Johnson & Johnson doses this week and will share more information about how we will distribute it when we can.

February 25, 2021

The FDA approved the EUA for Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine. This is great news for the City of Chicago’s vaccination efforts. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is safe and effective, especially in preventing severe illness and death, requires a single dose and has fewer reported side effects than other available COVID-19 vaccines. We are anticipating Chicago will receive Johnson & Johnson doses this week and will share more information about how we will distribute it when we can.

February 5, 2021

Johnson & Johnson / Janssen applied to the FDA for emergency use authorization (EUA) for their COVID-19 vaccine. Earlier Johnson & Johnson / Janssen announced that it has found its vaccine candidate is 72% effective in the US and 66% effective overall at preventing moderate to severe COVID-19, 28 days after vaccination. The topline safety and efficacy data are based on 43,783 participants accruing 468 symptomatic cases of COVID-19.

February 4, 2021

Johnson & Johnson, Novavax, and Oxford AstraZeneca Vaccines are currently in phase 3 of clinical trials at numerous sites around the world, including  in Chicago. It is anticipated that Johnson and Johnson will submit an EUA application to the FDA in February 2021. If the EUA is approved, this vaccine will likely become available in Chicago during late February or early March.

january 25, 2021

Chicago is now in phase 1B of COVID-19 vaccinations. This means Chicagoans age 65+ and specific groups of highest-risk and front-line essential workers will be eligible for vaccination. Please remember, even when you become eligible, it may take weeks to get an appointment. We expect it to take at least through February and March for frontline essential workers and those who are 65+ to get their first dose of vaccine because of limited supply and the number of providers who are able to administer the vaccine. The vaccine will be offered at no cost to all Chicagoans who want it, but patience is needed while vaccine quantities increase. Learn more about Chicago's vaccination phases.

january 13, 2021

The City of Chicago is making plans for a transitional COVID-19 vaccine distribution phase, bridging phase 1A and 1B. Hospitals and outpatient sites enrolled as COVID-19 vaccine providers will continue to prioritize healthcare workers, especially non-hospital based healthcare workers in tier 1A, for vaccination. Starting January 18, if vaccination providers have vaccine available and do not have tier 1A healthcare workers scheduled for vaccination, they may move to highest risk individuals that are over 65 years old and live or work in Chicago. 

Prioritization will be given to patients over 75 years of age, or patients over 65 years of age with significant underlying conditions, based on clinical judgment. City-run Points of Dispensing (PODs) will continue to focus on providing vaccine to tier 1A healthcare workers, by appointment only. While we wait for the federal government to send more vaccine doses, we continue working hard to make sure this vaccine is prioritized for populations who are most at risk for severe outcomes.

january 8, 2021

Administration of the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine began the week of January 4, 2021 for healthcare workers who received their first dose in mid-December 2020.

december 19, 2020

On December 19, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to recommend the vaccine for ages 18 years and above. Also, a vote on Tier 1b and 1c COVID-19 vaccine allocation is expected by ACIP Monday, December 21, 2020.

december 18, 2020

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on December 18, 2020.

december 17, 2020

Watch the Virtual Vaccine Town Hall to update the community on the COVID-19 vaccine. Representatives from the Chicago Department of Public Health provided the latest information and responded to questions. A Spanish language Town Hall is available as well as the presentation given.

 Authorized & Recommended Vaccines

  • Scientists and doctors have been working on vaccines since the beginning of the COVID pandemic. Around the world, there are over two hundred currently in development.
  • Currently, only the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have received authorized and recommended to prevent COVID-19. We will provide information on who is and is not recommended to receive each vaccine and what to expect after vaccination, as well as ingredients, safety, and effectiveness.

CLINICAL TRIALS

  • Currently, clinical trials are evaluating investigational COVID-19 vaccines in many thousands of study participants to generate scientific data and other information for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to determine their safety and effectiveness.
  • These clinical trials are being conducted according to the rigorous standards set forth by FDA in their June 2020 guidance document, Development and Licensure of Vaccines to Prevent COVID-19.  
  • If FDA determines that a vaccine meets its safety and effectiveness standards, it can make these vaccines available for use in the United States by approval or emergency use authorization.
  • After FDA makes its determination, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) will review available data before making vaccine recommendations to CDC.

VACCINE Status

ASTRAZENECA: PHASE 3 CLINICAL TRIAL

JOHNSON & JOHNSON: EUA APPROVED

MODERNA: DISTRIBUTION IN CHICAGO

NOVAVAX: PHASE 3 CLINICAL TRIAL

PFIZER: DISTRIBUTION IN CHICAGO

 

COVID-19
Vaccine Status

  • On February 4, 2021, Johnson & Johnson / Janssen applied to the FDA for emergency use authorization (EUA) for their COVID-19 vaccine. Earlier Johnson & Johnson / Janssen announced that it has found its vaccine candidate is 72% effective in the US and 66% effective overall at preventing moderate to severe COVID-19, 28 days after vaccination. The topline safety and efficacy data are based on 43,783 participants accruing 468 symptomatic cases of COVID-19.
  • The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on December 18, 2020.
  • On December 19, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to recommend the vaccine for ages 18 years and above.
  • The FDA has posted meeting materials for the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee Meeting on December 17, 2020 to review the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine EUA application.
  • The FDA has posted meeting materials for the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee Meeting on December 10, 2020 to review the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine EUA application.
  • Multiple COVID-19 vaccines are under development and in various stages of approval. 

VACCINE STATUS

AstraZeneca: Phase 3 clinical trial

Johnson & Johnson: EUA approved

Moderna: Distribution in Chicago

Novavax: Phase 3 clinical Trial

Pfizer: DISTRIBUTION IN CHICAGO

- Diversity in clinical trials is important to demonstrate the vaccine is safe and effective for all persons. Diversity in current clinical trials:

28%

of Moderna trial participants are from "diverse communities"

75%

of UIC's Moderna trial participants from racial/ethnic minorities

26%

of Pfizer/BioNTech trial participants have "diverse backgrounds"

- Most vaccine products will be provided in 2-dose series, and some vaccine products will require special storage and handling (e.g., ultra-cold storage).

  • On November 20, 2020, Pfizer applied to FDA for emergency use authorization (EUA) for their COVID-19 vaccine. Earlier Pfizer announced that its Phase 3 trial efficacy analysis has found its vaccine candidate is 95% effective. The study enrolled over 43,000 participants and has not uncovered any serious safety concerns.
  • Moderna’s phase 3 trial includes 30,000 participants and has not uncovered any serious safety concerns. On November 30, 2020, Moderna applied to FDA for emergency use authorization (EUA) for their COVID-19 vaccine. Primary efficacy analysis of the Phase 3 study found vaccine efficacy against COVID-19 was 94.1%.
  • As of November 20, 2020, two additional vaccines are in the last stage of clinical trials in the U.S.
  • AstraZeneca recently reported results from its Phase III clinical trial in Brazil and the United Kingdom indicating strong vaccine effectiveness among participants in their Phase 3 clinical trials.

Vaccine Rollout

At first, there will be a limited supply of COVID-19 vaccine. The federal government plans to ship the first vaccine doses out for distribution once a vaccine is authorized or approved and recommended. As more vaccines are available, federal planners will ship additional vaccine doses. For more information see COVID-19 Vaccine Planning in Chicago.