Cook County will expand COVID-19 vaccine eligibility for Phase 1B Plus starting next week, the health department announced on Wednesday.
Starting on Monday, doses of the coronavirus vaccine will be open to residents with certain high-risk medical conditions and comorbidities, according to Illinois guidelines.
The list of qualified high-risk medical conditions in Phase 1B Plus includes:
- Cancer
- Chronic Kidney Disease
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
- Diabetes
- Heart condition
- Immunocompromised state of a solid organ transplant
- Smoke
- Obesity
- Pregnancy
- Lung disease
- Sickle cell anemia
The health department said that all suburban vaccine suppliers in Cook County were invited to expand to Phase 1B Plus on Monday, as well as the county’s mass vaccination sites.
The Cook County Health Department will open new consultations for coronavirus vaccines on Friday at noon, the department announced. Illinois residents eligible for the next round of vaccination can apply here.
Illinois opened the vaccine’s eligibility for Phase 1B Plus in February, with Chicago and some neighboring suburbs opting out of the increase, citing missed doses.
Governor JB Pritzker noted that eligible people in Illinois in the expansion phase will not need to prove that they have a high-risk medical condition, although many are likely to receive the vaccine from their primary care physicians.
The expansion applies to those aged 16 and over who were not covered in the previous eligibility categories, the state said, adding that it plans to work with local health departments and other providers as eligibility increases.
For a complete view of where and how you can make an appointment in Illinois or where you can receive information about vaccines for your area, click here.