Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, detailed the four forms at a press conference at one of the city’s vaccine distribution points.
The four ways that people can get vaccinated in Chicago will be:
- medical system or healthcare provider
- pharmacy
- place of vaccination
- employer
Chicago is preparing to enter Phase 1B of its vaccination plan on Monday along with the rest of Illinois, making doses available to frontline workers and those 65 and older.
Arwady said the first way, through individual medical systems, is how most people will be vaccinated.
That includes primary care physicians, federally qualified health centers, hospitals, and other systems of care. He noted that many of those systems are reaching out to “most vulnerable patients” to schedule appointments.
Regarding the second track, through pharmacies, Arwady said the city had registered more than 100 pharmacies in Chicago and would share more information Monday on how to register.
The third way will be through mass vaccination sites. The municipality launched six sites in the Community Colleges. Arwady noted that they are still dedicated to healthcare workers and by appointment only.
The fourth way Chicagoans can get vaccinated, through their employers, has received the most questions.
Arwady noted that Phase 1B includes anyone over the age of 65, as well as essential frontline workers who have been prioritized, such as police, firefighters and paramedics; people who work in correctional facilities; grocery store workers; daycare workers; people who work in factories; educators; and public transportation employees and postal workers.
All of these people will be eligible to get vaccinated starting January 25.
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