As Chicago prepares to expand the vaccine’s eligibility to more residents as it moves into Phase 1C later this month, who will qualify?
Phase 1C, scheduled to start on March 29, will include those with underlying health conditions and essential workers, such as restaurant workers, those in personal care services, retail workers and more, authorities announced Wednesday.
But the list of underlying conditions is not the same as that being used for the state’s Phase 1B Plus. Vaccination in locations administered by the city will also be limited to Chicago residents only.
Here is a list of who is and who is not eligible for Phase 1C in Chicago:
Underlying medical conditions
Cancer (current diagnosis), heart, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (including heart disease, coronary artery disease and hypertension or high blood pressure), chronic kidney disease, chronic respiratory diseases (including cystic fibrosis, moderate to severe asthma, pulmonary fibrosis, and lung disease chronic obstructive / emphysema [COPD]), Diabetes (Type 1 and Type 2), Disability: physical, developmental, visual, auditory or mental, Neurological conditions (including dementia), Down syndrome, Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system), including blood or bone marrow transplant , immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids or use of other medications to weaken the immune system, liver disease (including hepatitis), pregnancy, obesity: BMI ≥30 kg / m2, schizophrenia spectrum disorders, sickle cell disease, thalassemia, people with disabilities
Clergy and religious organizations
People aged 65 and over; whenever possible, prioritizing citizens of Chicago aged 75 or over and citizens aged 65 to 74 with underlying medical conditions
Energy
Workers supporting the energy sector, including those involved in the manufacture, distribution and repair of energy
Finance
Banks; currency exchange; consumer loans; credit unions; evaluators; title companies; financial markets; Financial Institution; institutions that sell financial services; accounting services and insurance services
Food and drink service
Restaurant and other facilities that prepare and serve food (including bars); entities providing food services
University education
Educational institution workers – including junior colleges, four-year colleges and universities, technical schools, business schools, educational support services and educational program administration
Information and communications technology
Internet, video and telecommunications systems, consumer electronics repair, computer and office machine repair
Legal
Workers who provide legal services or support the operations of the judicial system, including judges, lawyers, paralegals, legal assistants, process servers, messengers, bail officers, probation officers, probation offices, court officials and others who provide legal assistance or perform legal functions
media
Newspapers, periodicals, television, radio and other media services, news dealers and newsstands, broadcasting, news unions, printing and book publishers
Other community-based or government-based operations and essential functions
Other civil servants; essential community-based functions (for example, urban planning, offices that provide basic needs such as food, day care, shelter and social services); library workers
Personal hygiene and hygiene services
Companies that provide personal care services such as hair, nails and non-medical massage.
Laundromats, laundromats, industrial laundry services and laundry service providers
Public health
Public health entities; pharmaceutical, medical device and biotechnology companies
Public security
Workers who ensure the proper functioning of public safety systems, including construction inspectors, civil engineers, chemical engineers, aerospace engineers and respondents for hazardous materials. Workers who build and maintain roads, highways, railways and ports. Cyber security operations workers
Retail
Retail store workers, including, without limitation, stores that sell alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, non-prescription drugs, other non-grocery products (e.g. electronics, optical products, books, etc.), other products households, wholesalers, licensed marijuana dispensaries and growing centers
Shelter and housing
Hardware stores and businesses; construction and maintenance of buildings, real estate; hotel and motel workers
Transportation and logistics
Gas station workers; supply and repair of automobiles and bicycles; companies that provide shipping and delivery services; mail; warehouses; private mail; Airline workers not included in 1b; rail, water, truck, charter bus or vehicle hire workers
Water and sewage
Workers involved in wastewater treatment and operations; storm and sanitary maintenance teams performing emergency and essential system maintenance
Those already qualified in Phases 1A and 1B will also remain qualified in 1C.
Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady noted that eligibility at city-administered vaccination sites will be limited to Chicago residents only.
“I want to clarify that as of March 29, only Chicago residents will be able to be vaccinated at vaccination sites in the city of Chicago,” said Arwady. “We ask healthcare professionals to continue prioritizing the vaccination of their existing patients who have the most underlying conditions, so we do not require residency requirements for you to be vaccinated with your regular doctor or when we are doing vaccinations with a focus on the employer, who is likely to start, probably more seriously in May. “
Arwady said the city will not enforce a residency requirement, but said that for public vaccination sites “at least in the next two months, we will be limiting that eligibility for Chicago residents”.
The next phase begins on March 29, but officials have warned that not all eligible candidates will be able to get an appointment immediately.
“What this move to phase 1C does not mean is that we will have enough vaccine for those who are eligible immediately,” said the mayor. “We are optimistic that we will continue to see a steady flow of vaccines in March, which in April will be even better, but we want to make sure that we meet people’s expectations. It will take some time due to the limited offer we are still receiving, but hope is on its way. We hope to receive more vaccines during this next phase ”.
Chicago remains in Phase 1B, which includes essential frontline workers and residents aged 65 and over, as well as health workers and long-term care facility employees and residents who were eligible for Phase 1A of the city’s deployment.
The city chose not to expand to Phase 1B Plus along with the state, which elected those with certain underlying medical conditions, due to what was said to be a lack of supply.
Many residents eligible for Phase 1B Plus state implementation can now be vaccinated at the United Center-administered mass vaccination site, administered by the federal government.
“This marks a huge increase in eligibility,” said Arwady. “And that means that in April and May, we will be focused on vaccinating people with underlying diseases and essential workers, especially those who cannot work from home, but we will keep our focus on who hasn’t received the vaccine is still in 1A or 1B, and continue to make sure that where people are getting a series of two-dose vaccines, they get it on time. “
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.