Here’s what you need to know about signing up for a COVID-19 vaccine in ChicagoBrett Chaseon March 16, 2021 at 1:07 am

Check out answers to frequently asked questions, including: Am I eligible for a coronavirus shot? Where can I get one? Can I go to a pharmacy? How long do I have to wait?

As Chicago expands its COVID-19 vaccination program, here are some answers to questions on who can get the shots and where to get them.

Who’s eligible for the vaccine?

• Seniors and essential workers: In late January, Chicagoans age 65 and older and more than 300,000 essential workers became eligible for the vaccine. The group includes police and firefighters, correctional workers, grocery store employees, educators and transit employees. Go to www.chicago.gov/covidvax for a full list.

• Residents with high-risk medical conditions: On February 25, Illinois expanded the eligible group to include residents 16 and older with high-risk medical conditions. Examples of conditions given by the state include obesity, diabetes, pulmonary diseases, smoking, heart conditions, chronic kidney diseases, cancer, solid organ transplant, sickle cell disease, pregnancy and persons with disabilities.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker said each local health department will determine the process for those vaccinations but the city of Chicago, Cook County and the collar counties have said that they will not begin offering shots to those with health conditions until there is more supply. Chicago officials estimate that to phase to start March 29.

• Health care and nursing home workers: Health care workers as well as employees and residents of nursing homes and congregate facilities have been eligible since December and those individuals can still be vaccinated.

When will others become eligible for a shot?

Other essential workers: The next phase of the state’s plan, Phase 1C, does not have a set start date yet, and the state has not said who will be included other than “essential workers.”

However, Chicago has said that group will likely include workers in: transportation and logistics; water and wastewater; food service; construction; finance, including bank tellers; information technology and communications; energy; legal; media; public safety like engineers; higher education; and public health.

The city said an estimated start date for those vaccinations is March 29.

General public aged 16 and older: The state has not said when the general public will become eligible for vaccines, but the governor has said he wants to make all adults 16 and older eligible before May 1, which is the target date set by Gov. Joe Biden.

The city’s website estimates the general public will be eligible on May 31.

Where do I go to get vaccinated?

Vaccinations are handled through appointments either through a doctor or other health care provider, a pharmacy or an employer. There are also designated sites for mass vaccinations run by cities and counties that are also open, although eligibility varies by location.

Chicago residents can register for appointments via zocdoc/vaccine. More information is available at covidcoach.chicago.gov/.

A map of Chicago vaccinations sites is at chicago.gov/city/en/sites/covid19-vaccine/home.html.

Suburban Cook County residents can check eligibility at vaccine.cookcountyil.gov/.

Go to https://coronavirus.illinois.gov/s/vaccination-location for a map of locations around Illinois.

Among the sites offering vaccines:

The United Center: Since March 10, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has been operating a mass vaccination site at the United Center. Officials have limited who is eligible for an appointment there to all residents 16 and older from certain ZIP codes in vulnerable areas of the city as well as seniors who live in Chicago.

As of March 14, the ZIP codes include 60624, 60644, 60651, 60653, 60608, 60619, 60620, 60649 and 60652.

More details are at chicago.gov/city/en/sites/covid19-vaccine/home/united-center.html of by calling 312-746-4835.

Pharmacies: The city lists several where members of eligible groups under the state’s guidelines can sign up to get the vaccine. Some have started vaccinating those with underlying conditions, while others plan to wait until their counties expand eligibility:

• Walgreens at walgreens.com/findcare/vaccination/covid-19

• Jewel-Osco at mhealthappointments.com/covidappt

• Walmart at walmart.com/cp/1228302

• Mariano’s at marianos.com/i/coronavirus-update/vaccine

• Chicago Costco Pharmacies (Lincoln Park)

• Chicago Costco Pharmacies (Medical District)

What if I don’t have a doctor or health care provider?

Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced an outreach plan to engage residents in 15 South Side and West Side communities, largely areas of the city that include many uninsured residents with poor access to health care. The city is working with hospitals, health clinics and other local organizations to inform neighbors on vaccination details. For theses communities, the city has widened the eligibility rules. Go to the city’s Protect Chicago page for more details.

Will it cost me money to get the vaccine?

The vaccine is free to everyone.

Do I need multiple shots?

To be fully effective, the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines approved for COVID-19 each require a second dose, which will either be three or four weeks apart from the first dose. Typically your second appointment is scheduled at the time you receive your first dose.

The Johnson and Johnson vaccine, which is becoming more available, only requires one shot. Experts say all the vaccines are very effective against stopping infections and extremely effective against preventing severe infections. Individuals will not be able to choose which vaccine they get.

Do I still need to wear a mask after getting the vaccine?

Two weeks after getting the second shot of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines, your chance of contracting the virus will be dramatically reduced. No vaccine is completely protective but both of the COVID therapies are more than 90% effective. Johnson and Johnson, which was tested more recently in more countries and against more variants of the virus, is more than 70 percent effective, which officials say is still excellent.

But because there has not been research yet on whether you can still spread the virus to others, officials recommend continuing to take precautions like mask wearing even after you get vaccinated. The CDC said that those who have been fully vaccinated can follow looser restrictions when interacting with others who also have been inoculated.

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