More than 100,000 appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations at the new United Center mass vaccination site will open this week, officials in Chicago and Illinois said Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Chicago is once again increasing its dining capacity at restaurants and bars and relaxing more coronavirus restrictions as the city’s coronavirus positivity rate continues to decline.
Here are the latest updates on the Illinois coronavirus pandemic today:
Smokers are now eligible 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 Illinois 1B plus coronavirus vaccine.
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, smoking is considered an “eligible condition” at this stage, along with other conditions such as cancer, diabetes, obesity, pregnancy and more.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that “being a current or former cigarette smoker increases your risk of severe COVID-19 disease.”
Illinois entered Phase 1B Plus on February 25, increasing eligibility to include people with certain underlying conditions and comorbidities. The move 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 first phase was announced, but was added as the state entered the phase last week.
Coronavirus in Illinois: 2,104 new cases, 44 deaths, over 82,000 vaccinations
Illinois health officials reported 2,104 new cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, along with 44 additional deaths and more than 61,000 doses of the vaccine given in the past 24 hours.
According to the latest data from the Illinois Department of Public Health, the new confirmed and probable cases on Wednesday have brought 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 IDPH.
Read more here.
COVID 100K United Center vaccination schedules open: Here’s what you need to know
More than 100,000 appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations at the United Kingdom’s new mass vaccination center will open this week. Here’s a look at what you need to know:
Appointments will open exclusively to Illinois residents aged 65 and over on Thursday at 8:30 a.m., Gov. JB Pritzker said in a statement, noting that there will be two ways to register:
- To register online, visit Zocdoc.com/vaccine. The website is designed to handle a much larger volume of scheduling requests. Zocdoc will show the availability of the appointment in real time, and the eligible residents will then be able to select a date / time and can book an online appointment. The date of birth will be required when booking an appointment to confirm vaccine eligibility.
- To register by phone, call (312) 746-4835. A multilingual call center will be available to help seniors make an appointment from 8 am to 8 pm Monday through Saturday and from 8 am to 4 pm on Sunday. Due to the high demand for appointments, residents who can use the website should book their reservations online. While the call center has 200 employees, those who need to call the call center will probably have a long wait time.
The senior registration period will be open until Sunday afternoon, Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, said in a Facebook Live update on Tuesday.
Illinois is launching 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 Wednesday.
State-sponsored sites will be launched Thursday in both Des Plaines and Quincy, bringing the total number of mass vaccination sites in Illinois to 18. The Des Plaines site, located in a former K-Mart at 1155 E. Oakton St., marks the fourth such site in Cook County alone.
“The COVID-19 vaccine site in Des Plaines is our last step in vaccinating Cook County and our most vulnerable communities,” Cook County Committee Chairman Toni Preckwinkle said in a statement. “This new site, which is conveniently located for many residents of the northwestern suburbs, will be used in the coming months as we progress in our program and the supply of vaccines increases.”
For more information, click here.
United, American Airlines to open vaccination sites at O’Hare Airport
United and American Airlines have announced plans to offer vaccinations at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.
United’s “distribution point” site, which will operate from the current terminal’s airline clinic at the level of baggage demand, will open on Thursday for eligible airport employees.
American Airlines said it would receive a “limited amount” of Johnson & Johnson vaccine for distribution to “ORD team members.” Doses will be administered starting Thursday in the K19 Former Flagship Lounge in Terminal 3, the airline said.
Chicago could start vaccinating in phase 1C sooner than expected, officials say
After previously announcing that Phase 1C will likely begin in late March, the top doctor in Chicago said Tuesday that the city could begin the next phase of coronavirus vaccination sooner than anticipated.
Chicago 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 doses of COVID vaccine available in the state. “
However, Arwady noted that as of Tuesday, the estimated date of the condition will not change nor will the eligibility criteria.
We will make adjustments to this, as we have always done, as we see vaccine doses come, Arwady said. “But honestly, the way they came is about how I expected it to come. March will look a lot better than it did in February about the vaccine. And I think April will look a lot better than March.”
Arwady said Phase 1C is likely to begin on March 29, and Phase 2, which includes all residents over the age of 16, could begin on May 31.
Advocate Aurora Health Exploring Opening Vaccination Mass Site at Wrigley Field
As United Center turns its parking lots into a mass vaccination site against coronavirus later this month, another iconic stadium in Chicago could follow suit.
According to lawyer Aurora Health, a mass vaccination site is being explored at Wrigley Field in order to help more Chicago residents receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
According to a statement from health care officials, there are still a few obstacles to be removed for the site to become a reality, including authorization by the city of Chicago.
“We are proud to work on a possible Wrigley Field mass vaccination site, which could be authorized by the city of Chicago,” the hospital said in a statement. “If the site is designated and the city’s supply of vaccines becomes available, Aurora Health’s attorney would provide clinical staff and technical infrastructure.”
According to hospital officials, the location at Wrigley Field is being considered because of its proximity to several CTA bus lines and the CTA red line, “ensuring that residents of disproportionately affected communities have access to the vaccine because supplies are available.” .
Read more here.
Some fans may be allowed to return to Chicago booths “This season,” says mayor
Chicago could see some fans return to the stands, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Tuesday as the city prepares to begin its baseball season.
“Not right now, but I think there will be a time this season when you’ll see fans in both the Wrigley and Guaranteed Rate grandstands, which I still call Sox Park,” Lightfoot said.
The puppies are set to begin opening at home at Wrigley Field on April 1, while the White Sox are scheduled to return home on April 8 after they start their season on the road.
Lightfoot’s comments come as some fans begin to return to stands in long-closed places, such as Barclays Center in New York.
“What I’ve said before is that we’re talking to both sports teams,” Lightfoot said. “I think they came up with very good plans and when we are ready, we will announce what the future will look like for other potential spectators in the stands.”
Illinois vaccinations