Phase 1A
Chicago is currently in Phase 1A of the plan, with health care workers and long-term care center residents and staff eligible for vaccination.
Phase 1B
Phase 1B will begin on Jan. 25, with xacacenses over 65, non-care residential establishments, including homeless shelters and front-line essential workers. Essential front-line workers include grocery store workers, manufacturing, daycare, early childhood and K-12 education workers, public transportation, agricultural workers, government continuity, and postal workers.
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The city expects most Phase 1B people to be vaccinated in February and March.
IC phase
Phase 1C is scheduled to begin provisionally on March 29 for children ages 16 to 64 with underlying medical conditions and other essential workers.
Phase 2
Phase 2 is tentatively scheduled for May 31, which will include all those over the age of 16 who are not recommended to be vaccinated beforehand. But there is a warning.
“I want to make it very clear that the date depends entirely on the amount of vaccine we receive, what changes we see from the federal government,” said Dr. Allison Arwady, director of the Chicago Department of Public Health.
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Currently, COVID-19 vaccines are not authorized for younger children. The city said they will be added when a vaccine for children is approved.
“Most people, especially those over the age of 65, will be vaccinated in a clinical setting: through a hospital, through your own doctor’s office, potentially through a pharmacy. And there will be more to get there, ”Dr. Allison Arwady said. .
Officials ask suppliers to prioritize each group. For people aged 65 or over in 1B: People aged 75 or over should be at the top of the list, followed by people aged 65 to 74 with underlying conditions, followed by the rest of the group.
“Say you’re a healthy 65-year-old man, frankly, I would appreciate it if you might be willing to wait a few weeks,” Dr. Arwady said.
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With the fall of Chicago metrics, the city moved Monday to level 2 mitigation, allowing companies such as casinos, bowling alleys, museums and cinemas to reopen. However, this opening is expected to take place over several days and weeks.
“We’re definitely going to lose money, you know,” said Chris Johnson, owner of Classic Cinemas. “In the first half of the year, you’re going to increase your intensity, you’re building an audience and getting people used to going out again.”
Officials said the city could go down to level 1 as early as this weekend, which will allow limited indoor food to resume as early as next week.
“We need to remain diligent, but I am optimistic that we will see covered dinners in restaurants relatively soon,” said Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
For more information on the launch of COVID-19 in Chicago, visit Chicago.gov.
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