While supply is limited, Chicago's Department of Public Health (CDPH) is following the Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines for distribution of the vaccine. Based on this guidance, healthcare workers and long-term care facility residents and staff are prioritized to receive the vaccine first (Phase 1a). As more vaccine becomes available in early 2021, frontline essential workers and individuals 75 years of age and older are the next priority group recommended to receive the vaccine (Phase 1b). Additional information on essential workers and their vaccine prioritization group is available here.
CDPH has been working with healthcare and community partners to increase our ability to quickly distribute a large amount of vaccine. As supply increases, the vaccine will be available through additional vaccination providers, including doctors’ offices, retail pharmacies, hospitals, and federally qualified health centers. CDPH is also opening vaccination clinics for healthcare workers not affiliated with a hospital or healthcare system.
CDPH anticipates vaccine distribution for healthcare workers in Phase 1a will continue through January and likely into February. As additional vaccine becomes available, we will begin to offer Phase 1b vaccinations for frontline essential workers and individuals 75 years of age and older (possibly late February/early March).
The City has created a website for COVID vaccination updates, which you can access here. If you are interested, another good resource for vaccine information is the IDPH website. Additional information on COVID cases and trends is available on Chicago Department of Public Health’s Data Reports website.
And as always, wash your hands, wear a mask, and social distance. We must continue to wear masks for the next few months, so please keep it on!
Need a mask? If you or someone you knows needs new masks, please call or email us at the office. We continue to deliver masks to those in need, and would be happy to drop them off.