On Feb. 26, the Biden administration, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot, and U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth announced that eligible Illinoisans from every part of the state will be able to be vaccinated against COVID-19 starting March 10 at a new United Center site that prioritizes access for seniors and equity for the hardest hit populations.
The Biden administration is opening pilot community vaccination centers across the country. The United Center site will open March 10 with the capacity to administer 6,000 doses per dayand the vaccinations will be provided directly by the federal government and not taken out of the state or city's allotment.
The site will be by appointment only; seniors will have first access to appointments before the site opens, and if appointments remain available after seniors have had their exclusive registration period, any remaining available slots will be open to any Illinoisans eligible under the state's guidelines.
"The new United Center mass vaccination site is a game changer for Chicago and the entire region," said Lightfoot. "This is what presidential leadership looks likebold, collaborative and science-based. With this new site, we'll now be able to take our vaccination success to a whole new level and bring to bear the historic and inclusive recovery that is soon to come."
After the launch on March 10, registration will continue to be open for all Illinoisans eligible in the state's Phase 1B+. In accordance with the CDC guidelines, the expanded list of eligible conditions will include cancer, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes, heart conditions, immunosuppressed states from a solid organ transplant, smoking, obesity, pregnancy, pulmonary diseases and sickle-cell disease.
In addition to the United Center, Illinois has 15 state-supported mass vaccination sites already open across the state. These sites are currently open to any eligible resident via appointment. For more information on how to make an appointment to receive the vaccine, updates on the state's plan and eligibility, and answers to frequently asked questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, go to coronavirus.illinois.gov .