New Rule: United Center Vaccines Only For Cook County Residents

CHICAGO — New guidance regarding who can sign up for coronavirus vaccine appointments at the United Center was issued Sunday, just as eligibility was to expand to Phase 1B+ at the site. As of Sunday afternoon, no one outside Cook County will be able to get the vaccine at the mass vaccination site on the city's West Side.

That's because most of those who were getting vaccine appointments at the United Center did not live in Chicago, officials said Sunday. According to a release from Gov. J.B. Pritzker's office, less than 40 percent of appointments were made by people from Chicago.

Now, starting Sunday afternoon, appointments made on Zocdoc will be restricted to city of Chicago residents who are eligible under Illinois' Phase 1B+, Pritzker's office said. Appointments will also be set aside for Chicago residents who live in high-COVID vulnerability areas that have low vaccination rates, based on data tied to ZIP codes.

More information will be provided on eligible ZIP codes and the subsequent registration process later this week. Appointment blocks will also be provided to community-based organizations for targeted outreach to special populations in Chicago, including people with disabilities.

United Center vaccine appointments will also be allocated for residents of suburban Cook County. After 4 p.m. Sunday, no one outside Cook County will be eligible for a vaccine shot at the United Center.

Early registration data that suggests the most vulnerable communities were not benefiting enough led to the change in guidance, which Pritzker's office said came from recommendations from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

"FEMA is committed to the equitable distribution of the vaccine, especially to communities of color in Chicago," FEMA Region 5 Acting Regional Administrator Kevin Sligh, Sr. said in a statement. "We support our partners in making these changes which will ensure those communities hardest hit by the virus are able to get the most effective tool to bringing it under control."

All appointments made between Thursday and the time the new guidelines were announced on Sunday will still be honored, Pritzker's office said.

The first 110,000 appointments to receive COVID-19 vaccines at the United Center parking lot opened Thursday morning for seniors. Chicago residents aged 65 or older can now register online at Zocdoc.com/vaccine or by calling 312-746-4835. The multi-lingual call center is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Suburban Cook residents can get appointments through http://vaccine.cookcountyil.gov or by calling 833-308-1988 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Public health officials urged Illinois residents to help seniors in their families and communities sign up for the appointments, which are expected to go fast. The first available appointments are walk-up only, with plans for a drive-thru option later in the month.

"We really, really, really, really want you to help anybody over the age of 65," said Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health. "If you know someone, we want them to take advantage of this. There are appointments right now."

Registration for remaining appointments will open to other members of the Phase 1b+ priority group, which includes front-line essential workers and those with underlying health conditions, starting at 4:30 p.m. Sunday — if any appointments are still available.

Staff at the site are scheduled to begin administering the first jabs Tuesday. By Wednesday, they're expected to be administering doses to 6,000 people a day, every day from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. for the next eight weeks. That's a 72 percent increase in jabs from last week, when the city administered about 8,300 doses a day citywide.

The United Center vaccination site is being managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, as part of a federal pilot program. Officials said it will be administering the two-dose Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Related: 110K United Center Vaccination Appointments To Open For Seniors

It’s open! All Illinois residents who are 65+ can now start making appointments for the @UnitedCenter mass vaccination site. Appointments can be made two ways: https://t.co/PBFBCOb5SC or by calling 312-746-4835. There will be NO onsite registration. pic.twitter.com/TTMGQ3Xt7T
— ChiPublicHealth (@ChiPublicHealth) March 4, 2021

The United Center vaccination site entrance is at 1724 W. Madison St., with the entrance in Lot E at the corner of Wood and Madigan. Parking in Lot A is free; enter on Washington Street between Wood and Wolcott streets.

Chicago residents unable to arrange transportation to and from the United Center are eligible for a $40 credit from the ride-hailing company Uber after booking via Zocdoc.

There will also be a free shuttle available for transport the half-block to the vaccination site, and those who need mobility assistance may bring a companion to accompany them. A centralized tent for those with disabilities will also be available.

For homebound Chicago seniors unable to travel to vaccination sites, as well as their caregivers, the Chicago Department of Public Health and the Chicago Fire Department launched a new program Thursday where fire department community paramedics begin administering vaccines to seniors in their own home. Those interested in signing up were asked to fill out a survey online.