A mass vaccination site will open April 5 at Chicago State University in Roseland as city leaders race to curb a rising number of new COVID-19 cases in Chicago. The new vaccination site at the predominately Black school will be more accessible to South Side residents than the United Center on the West Side.
A drive-through vaccination service will begin April 12.
The Chicago State site will administer the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Next week, Illinois and Chicago are set to receive a combined 188,000 Johnson & Johnson doses.
The mass vaccination site at Chicago State University will be overseen by the Chicago Department of Public Health, with CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort) operating the site and vaccine administered by Howard Brown Health. At full capacity, it will serve 1,200 walk-up and 1,000 drive-thru vaccination appointments a day.
The site is by appointment only, there is no on-site registration. The site will operate six days a week, Monday through Friday from 12:00 p.m. through 6:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. through 3:00 p.m.
Registration for vaccination appointments at Chicago State University will be available on [zocdoc.com/vaccine]. Appointments will be posted on ZocDoc later this week. Additional appointments will be added daily. All Chicagoans eligible in Phase 1a, 1b, or 1c will be able to schedule appointments.
Additional details about telephone options to book appointments will also be announced prior to opening.
“Chicago State University is ready to serve the people of Chicago. As the only public university on the South Side of Chicago, Chicago State University is a community anchor institution for the City of Chicago and the state of Illinois,” said Zaldwaynaka “Z” Scott, Esq., President of Chicago State University. “Our city institutions and leaders must collaborate to bring the resources needed to support Black and Latinx communities who continue to experience the impact of COVID-19.”
“We are making progress toward our goal of vaccinating all Chicag- oans, and we are very pleased to partner with Chicago State University, the Chicago Cubs and Advocate Aurora Health to bring lifesaving vaccines to our communities,” said Mayor Lori Lightfoot. “While the list of those eligible for the vaccine expands, vaccine supply and appointments are still limited and patience will be key.”
Another vaccination site will open at the American Airline Conference Center at Gallagher Way next to Wrigley Field on the North Side. It will be operated by Advocate Aurora Health and will be able to administer approximately 2,000 doses a day. The site is by appointment only, there is no on-site registration.
“As a community health provider, Advocate Aurora Health is focused on ensuring that Black and brown communities, as well as low-income and vulnerable populations across the city, can access the COVID-19 vaccine,” said Dr. David Trotter, chair of emergency medicine, Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center. “Working with our community partners to schedule and administer vaccines will prevent at-risk people from contracting the virus and hasten the end of the pandemic.”
“It is an honor for Wrigley Field’s campus to play a role in providing life-saving vaccines to Chicagoans and be a part of the solution to ending this pandemic,” said Cubs Executive Chairman Tom Ricketts. “I want to thank Mayor Lightfoot for her leadership and the amazing team at Advocate Aurora Health for their partnership. This site would not have been possible without Advocate’s incredible health care workers and staff.”
Appointments for both mass vaccination sites will be restricted to Chicago residents, and people will need to bring proof of residency to their appointment.
Driver’s license, Illinois ID card or REAL ID, City Key Card, library card, postmarked letter, utility bill, voter registration confirmation, Consular ID (Matricula Consular), and many other forms of identification will all be accepted.
A complete list of eligible documents is available at [Chicago.gov/COVIDVax].
The vaccine will be offered at no cost, and insurance is not required. Documentation regarding immigration status is also not required.
The city officially entered Phase 1c of the vaccine rollout on Monday, March 29, meaning all essential workers and adults with underlying medical conditions are eligible for COVID-19 vaccines.
For a list of eligible conditions and essential workers, visit [www.chicago.gov/covidvax]. People in Phases 1a and 1b still remain eligible for the vaccine.
