Arwady said on Tuesday she remains concerned about residents 65 and older getting their share of the vaccines, as only at 45.5% of that population had been vaccinated. For the rest of March, city officials will pour resources into reaching those Chicagoans through what she said was a “Senior Month” campaign. That includes home visits from Chicago Fire Department paramedics to get the shot as well as pop-up vaccination events on the South and West sides that are reserved for older residents.
“We need to continue that hard work of making sure that as many of our seniors as possible have access to the vaccine. If you are eligible under the earlier phases or now, please don’t hesitate to take advantage of the opportunity to get vaccinated,” Lightfoot said.
Arwady added that also starting March 29, city-run mass vaccination sites such as the ones at City Colleges of Chicago locations will close to non-Chicago residents. Those centers were first launched as places to inoculate non-hospital-based healthcare workers, some of whom do not live in Chicago but work in the city.
About 10% of Chicago residents are fully vaccinated, according to IDPH numbers. That lags the overall 12.3% rate statewide, and the 12.5% figure in suburban Cook County.
Lightfoot said she started her day Wednesday with a tour of the United Center site and it gave her optimism after a year of storms, an endorsement that was followed up with Arwady batting away what she said were unsubstantiated rumors that appointments were unfilled and guidelines would once again change. Arwady said the site was booking up to 5,700 appointments per day, of which less than a hundred don’t get fulfilled. Though the daily capacity for shots is 6,000, Arwady said they are reserving some doses for drive-through events starting next week.
“What I came away from that experience feeling today, a memory I will have with me for the rest of my life, is that God’s grace is shining on us,” Lightfoot said. “There is truly light at the end of the tunnel.”
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