City Expands In-home COVID-19 Vaccination, Extending Hours and Doubling Appointment Capacity

July 27, 2021

$25 Visa gift cards will be offered to everyone vaccinated at home

COVID-19 Joint Information Center    media.coronavirus@cityofchicago.org

CHICAGO—The Chicago Department of Public Health announced today an expansion of its in-home vaccination program, Protect Chicago At Home, with $25 Visa gift cards offered to everyone vaccinated at home. Everyone 12 and up is eligible to receive a vaccine and a gift card. Appointments can be booked now and gift card distribution will begin August 2.

Since its inception, Protect Chicago At Home has been operating near full capacity and the City has added additional providers to expand appointments. Now, to meet ongoing strong demand, and vaccinate even more Chicagoans, the City is doubling capacity to 900 appointments per week and extending operating hours weekdays until 6:30 p.m. The added capacity should decrease wait times for at-home appointments which are currently fully booked two weeks out.

“At-home vaccination is certainly one of the easiest and most convenient ways to be vaccinated. Make an appointment, and the vaccine will come to you,” said Allison Arwady, M.D., Commissioner, Chicago Department of Public Health. “As we see a resurgence of COVID-19 cases across the country and here in Chicago, we know it is primarily affecting those who are unvaccinated, which is why it is so critical we get more people in Chicago vaccinated. If you and members of your family have not yet received your vaccine, I urge you to take advantage of this great opportunity and make an appointment today.”

In-home vaccination offers a choice between the Pfizer (age 12 and older) and Johnson & Johnson (age 18 and older) vaccines. Up to ten people can be vaccinated at a time, so Chicagoans can invite family, friends, or neighbors to their home to be vaccinated together. Appointments are available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

In-home vaccination has been particularly effective in vaccinating seniors and Black Chicagoans. Seniors age 65+ have comprised 35 percent of first-time appointments since program launch, and 44 percent in the last week. And 47 percent of all first-dose appointments have gone to Black residents, including 58 percent in the last seven days alone.

To date, the City has administered vaccines to more than 5,800 Chicagoans in their homes. Initially launched in March to bring vaccines to homebound seniors and people with disabilities, the program expanded to all seniors in May, and to all Chicagoans in June. It is the only on-demand, in-home vaccination program now available to all residents age 12 and up in the U.S.

To make an appointment for in-home vaccination, call (312) 746-4835 or register by region using the links below, which can be accessed at www.chicago.gov/athome:

REGION

NEIGHBORHOOD

Far South

Beverly, Burnside, Calumet Heights, East Side, Hegewisch, Morgan Park, Mount Greenwood, Pullman, Riverdale, Roseland, South Deering, Washington Heights, and West Pullman

Near South

Auburn Gresham, Avalon Park, Chatham, Douglas, Englewood, Fuller Park, Grand Boulevard, Greater Grand Crossing, Hyde Park, Kenwood, Oakland, South Chicago, South Shore, Washington Park, West Englewood, and Woodlawn

North / Central

Edgewater, Lake View, Lincoln Park, Lincoln Square, Loop, Near North Side, Near South Side, North Center, Rogers Park, Uptown, and West Ridge

Northwest

Albany Park, Avondale, Belmont Cragin, Dunning, Edison Park, Forest Glen, Hermosa, Irving Park, Jefferson Park, Logan Square, Montclare, North Park, Norwood Park, and Portage Park

Southwest

Archer Heights, Armour Square, Ashburn, Bridgeport, Brighton Park, Chicago Lawn, Clearing, Gage Park, Garfield Ridge, McKinley Park, New City, West Elsdon, and West Lawn

West

Austin, East Garfield Park, Humboldt Park, Lower West Side, Near West Side, North Lawndale, South Lawndale, West Garfield Park, and West Town

 

The expansion of Protect Chicago At Home comes as the City-run vaccination sites closed last weekend in Chicago’s planned move from fixed vaccination sites to more hyperlocal and at-home distribution to reach Chicagoans who still need their COVID-19 vaccine.

Since January, more than 457,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses were administered at City-run Points of Dispensing (PODs) and the United Center. As of July 26, over 51 percent of Chicago's population has completed a vaccine series. 

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