More Skokie Residents To Become Eligible For COVID-19 Vaccines

SKOKIE, IL — Skokie residents with pre-existing health conditions that increase the risk of serious illness from coronavirus infections can soon start signing up for appointments to receive the coronavirus vaccine at mass vaccination sites in suburban Cook County.

Public health officials Wednesday announced plans to expand the availability of doses in Chicago and the Cook County suburbs, making more than a million additional Cook County residents eligible for jabs.

The Cook County Department of Public Health announced that the suburbs it covers will move to Phase 1b+, which includes people aged 16 to 64 with conditions that increase the risk of COVID-19 complications, starting on Monday. (Skokie operates its own public health department outside of CCDPH's jurisdiction.)

A week later, on March 29, the Chicago Department of Public Health is on track to move from Phase 1b to Phase 1c, opening vaccine appointments to anyone with a qualifying pre-existing health condition, as well as all classes of essential workers — including those in the retail, hospitality and higher education sectors, who have been so far excluded from eligibility under Illinois rules.

Although Gov. J.B. Pritzker last month expanded the CDC's recommended Phase 1b priority group — senior citizens and "front-line" essential workers — to include the approximately 3.4 million people in Illinois who have qualifying medical conditions, health departments in the Chicago area have so far opted to stick with the smaller group, citing insufficient supplies of doses.

“Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen great progress in vaccinating vulnerable groups in phase 1b, including our seniors," said Dr. Rachel Rubin, senior medical officer and co-lead at the Cook County Department of Public Health, in a release announcing the expanded eligibility. "This is reflected in the numbers, which indicate that more than 68 percent of individuals 65 and older in suburban Cook County have received at least one dose."

RELATED: 58% Of Skokie Seniors Have Had At Least One COVID-19 Vaccine Dose

County-run suburban mass vaccination sites at the former Des Plaines K-Mart, South Suburban College, Tinley Park Convention Center and Triton College will begin administering vaccine to any Illinois resident who is a member of the Phase 1a, Phase 1b or Phase 1b+ priority group.

In addition to people with cancer, chronic kidney disease, pulmonary diseases, diabetes, heart conditions, organ transplants that compromise immunity, obesity, sickle cell, the Phase 1b+ group includes pregnant women, smokers and those with disabilities.

That means residents of Skokie and other towns outside the jurisdiction of the Cook County Department of Public Health can sign up for jabs at vaccine.cookcountyil.gov starting at noon on Friday.

The department covers every Cook County suburb apart from Evanston, Oak Park, Skokie and Stickney Township, which have received their own supplies of vaccine from the state according to the size of their populations.

Suburban Cook County public health officials said they plan to advance to Phase 1c in the near future.

Appointments to receive doses at the United Center remain prioritized for Chicagoans 65 and over and residents of certain targeted ZIP codes, although city officials said limited additional appointments are being added online.

RELATED: Phase 1c Set For March 29 In Chicago Depending On Vaccine Supply

Chicago public health officials also announced plans to limit eligibility at city-run sites to residents of the city later this month at the same time the sites start to administer doses to those with underlying conditions and more essential workers.

Non-residents will still be able to get doses in Chicago at private health care providers and workplace vaccination events, according to Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady.

Arwady said nearly 40 percent of the city's doses have gone to non-residents, including those who work in Chicago, while about 20 percent of vaccinated Chicago residents received their job in another municipality.

According to data from the Illinois Department of Public Health updated Wednesday, 12.6 percent of the state's population has been fully vaccinated. That compares to 12.8 percent of residents of the Cook County suburbs and 10.3 percent of Chicago residents.