More than 100,000 consultations for COVID-19 vaccinations at United Center’s new mass vaccination site will open this week, officials from Chicago and Illinois announced on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Chicago is again increasing its dining capacity in restaurants and bars and easing several restrictions on coronavirus, as the city’s coronavirus positive rate continues to fall.
Here are the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic in Illinois today:
Smokers now qualified for the COVID vaccine in Illinois in Phase 1B Plus
Smoking is on the list of high-risk medical conditions and comorbidities that make someone eligible for the coronavirus vaccine under Phase 1B plus in Illinois.
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, smoking is considered an “eligible condition” in the phase alongside other conditions like cancer, diabetes, obesity, pregnancy and more.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that “being a current smoker or ex-smoker increases the risk of serious illness because of COVID-19”.
Illinois entered its Phase 1B Plus on February 25, increasing eligibility to include people with certain conditions and underlying comorbidities. The change meant that an additional 3.4 million people in Illinois became eligible for the vaccine.
Smoking was not on the list of eligible conditions when the phase was first announced, but it was added when the state entered the phase last week.
Coronavirus in Illinois: 2,104 new cases, 44 deaths, more than 82,000 vaccinations
Health officials in Illinois on Wednesday reported 2,104 new cases of coronavirus, along with 44 additional deaths and more than 61,000 doses of vaccine administered in the past 24 hours.
According to the latest data from the Illinois Department of Public Health, Wednesday’s new confirmed and probable cases have led the state to 1,191,520 cases of coronavirus since the pandemic began.
The 44 new deaths reported on Wednesday bring the state to 20,626 deaths during the pandemic, according to the IDPH.
Read more here.
Vaccine commitments 100K United Center COVID must be opened: here’s what you need to know
More than 100,000 consultations for COVID-19 vaccinations at the United Center’s new mass vaccination site will open this week. Here’s what you need to know:
Nominations will open exclusively to Illinois residents aged 65 and over at 8:30 am on Thursday, Governor JB Pritzker said in a statement, noting that there will be two ways to apply:
- To register online, visit Zocdoc.com/vaccine. The website was designed to handle a much larger volume of scheduling requests. Zocdoc will show the availability of consultations in real time and qualified residents will be able to select a date / time and make an appointment online. The date of birth will be required when making an appointment to confirm the vaccine’s eligibility.
- To register by phone, call (312) 746-4835. A multilingual call center will be available to assist the elderly to make an appointment from 8 am to 8 pm, Monday to Saturday, and from 8 am to 4 pm, on Sunday. Given the expected high demand for consultations, residents who can use the site should book their appointments online. Although the call center has 200 employees, those who need to use it are likely to have long waiting times.
The exclusive registration period for the elderly will be open until Sunday afternoon, said Chicago Department of Public Health commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady, in an update to Facebook Live on Tuesday.
Illinois launches 2 more mass vaccination sites, including 1 in Des Plaines
Illinois will soon launch two new mass vaccination sites, including one in Des Plaines, officials announced on Wednesday.
State-supported sites are due to be launched on Thursday in Des Plaines and Quincy, bringing the total number of mass vaccination sites in Illinois to 18. The Des Plaines site, located in an old K-Mart in 1155 E. Oakton St., marks the fourth such location in Cook County only.
“The COVID-19 vaccine site in Des Plaines is our last step in vaccinating Cook County and our most vulnerable communities,” said Cook County Council President Toni Preckwinkle in a statement. “This new location, which is conveniently located for many residents of the northwestern suburbs, will be used in the coming months as we move forward with our program and increase the supply of vaccines.”
For more information click here.
United, American Airlines to open vaccination sites at O’Hare airport
United and American Airlines announced plans to offer vaccines at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.
United’s “distribution point” website, which will operate outside the airline’s current clinic in Terminal 2 at the baggage claim level, will open on Thursday to qualified airport staff.
American Airlines said it will receive a “limited supply” of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for distribution to “members of the ORD team”. Doses will be administered from Thursday at the Ex-Flagship Lounge K19 in Terminal 3, the airline said.
Chicago may start vaccinating phase 1C earlier than expected, officials say
After announcing earlier that Phase 1C was likely to begin in late March, Chicago’s chief physician said on Tuesday that the city could begin the next phase of coronavirus vaccination ahead of schedule.
Chicago Department of Public Health commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said the city could begin vaccinating those eligible for Phase 1C at an earlier date, based on an increase in the doses of COVID vaccine available in the state. “
However, Arwady noted that as of Tuesday, the state’s estimated date would not change, nor would any eligibility criteria.
“We will make adjustments as we always have, as we see how the doses of the vaccine come in,” said Arwady. “But honestly, the way they are getting in is how I expected them to arrive. March is going to look a lot better than February in relation to the vaccine. And I think April is going to look a lot better than March.”
Arwady said that Phase 1C would likely start on March 29 and Phase 2, which includes all residents over 16, could begin on May 31.
Aurora Health lawyer exploring the opening of the mass vaccination site at Wrigley Field
While the United Center will transform its parking lots into a massive coronavirus vaccination site later this month, another iconic Chicago stadium could follow suit.
According to Advocate Aurora Health, a mass vaccination site is being explored at Wrigley Field, with the goal of helping even more Chicago area residents receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
According to a note from health system officials, there are still some obstacles to overcome in order for the location to become a reality, including authorization from the City of Chicago.
“We are proud of the partnership in a possible mass vaccination site at Wrigley Field, which would potentially be authorized by the City of Chicago,” the hospital system said in a statement. “If the location is designated and the vaccine supplies in the city are available, Advocate Aurora Health will provide clinical staff and technical infrastructure.”
According to hospital officials, the location in Wrigley Field is being considered due to its proximity to several CTA bus lines and the CTA Red Line, “ensuring that residents of disproportionately affected communities have access to the vaccine as supplies are available. available ”.
Read more here.
Some fans may be allowed to return to the Chicago booths ‘this season’, says the mayor
Chicago may see some fans return to the stands, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said on Tuesday, as the city prepares for the start of the baseball season.
“Not at the moment, but I think there will be a point this season when you will see fans in the stands at Wrigley and the guaranteed fee field, which I still call Sox Park,” said Lightfoot.
The Cubs are scheduled to begin their home debut at Wrigley Field on April 1, while the White Sox are scheduled to return home on April 8, after starting their season on the road.
Lightfoot’s comments come as some fans begin to return to the stands in places that have long been closed, such as the Barclays Center in New York.
“What I said before is that we are discussing with both sports teams,” said Lightfoot. “I think they made very good plans and, when we are ready, we will announce what the future will be like for other potential spectators in the stands.”
Illinois Vaccinations