Illinois launches 2 more mass vaccination sites, including 1 in Des Plaines – NBC Chicago

Illinois will soon launch two new mass vaccination sites, including one in Des Plaines, authorities announced Wednesday.

State-sponsored sites will be launched Thursday in both Des Plaines and Quincy, bringing the total number of mass vaccination sites in Illinois to 18. The Des Plaines site, located on a former K-Mart at 1155 E Oakton St., marks fourth place only in Cook County and will be what county officials say is the first large-scale facility to administer the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in Illinois.

“The COVID-19 vaccination site in Des Plaines is our latest step in vaccinating Cook County and our most vulnerable communities,” Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said in a statement. “This new site, which is conveniently located for many residents of the Northwest suburbs, will be used over the next few months as we move forward in our program and increase the supply of vaccines.”

According to Cook County, the Des Plaines location will open appointments Thursday afternoon and begin vaccinating residents on Friday or Saturday, pending the arrival of vaccine doses. For more information on appointments and availability, click here.

The launch comes the same day for upcoming United Center locations open to certain eligible residents, with plans to begin vaccinations next week.

Both the Des Plaines and Quincy sites will offer about 4,000 doses a day combined when they are at full capacity, officials said.

“With our new operations in Des Plaines and Quincy, Illinois now operates 18 state-supported mass vaccination sites, in addition to the network of more than 800 vaccination sites statewide, all formed on a single target. : Vaccinate as many people as possible as quickly as possible, “Governor JB Pritzker said in a statement.” One in six Illinois residents has already received their first dose of vaccine and, as the government federal increases Illinois deliveries to more than 100,000 a day later this month, IDPH and our 97 local health departments are ready to meet the moment. In the meantime, I encourage all Illinois residents to wear masks and be vigilant as we move to the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic. ”

Pritzker also announced plans to activate members of the National Guard in Union, Johnson, Pope, Hardin, Alexander, Pulaski and Massac counties.

In addition, Chicago also plans to open “new mass vaccination sites in the coming months.”

According to attorney Aurora Health, a mass vaccination site is being explored at Wrigley Field.

Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady also said the department was considering holding a Soldier Field mass vaccination site.

“We are fully prepared to stand up for mass vaccination sites, but these are vaccines,” he said last month.

Pritzker has hinted at the possibility of additional locations in Illinois as well.

When asked if Chicago’s McCormick Place could be a future site, Pritzker said “the opportunity to see other places is always open.”

To see how you can sign up for a COVID vaccine appointment in Illinois, click here.

The growing number of mass vaccination sites comes after Illinois entered Phase 1B Plus, which expanded eligibility for Phase 1B vaccinations to include people with certain high-risk medical conditions and comorbidities.

Although the state expanded its Phase 1B, many counties, health departments and hospital systems, including Chicago and Cook County, said they would not join the rest of Illinois to increase eligibility, citing a low supply of vaccines for those who already meet the requirements.

Previously, under the first iteration of phase 1B, residents 65 years of age or older, as well as essential workers, qualify to receive the vaccine.

Here’s a look at the mass vaccination sites now underway in Illinois: