CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- One month after a West Side hospital was hit by a scandal over COVID shots being given to people not yet eligible to receive them, vaccinations will resume there starting Wednesday.
The Chicago Department of Public Health announced it will open a city-managed COVID-19 vaccination clinic in partnership with Loretto Hospital. Located onsite at the hospital, the new clinic will increase vaccine access on the West Side while ensuring all vaccination guidelines are stringently followed.
CDPH will provide the registration and scheduling system and ensure that vaccine administration is appropriately reported to the state’s I-CARE system; while Loretto Hospital will provide clinical staff to administer the vaccine and will work with community-based organizations to ensure Austin residents can access vaccine appointments. The city will also assign a dedicated engagement and outreach coordinator to work with the Loretto team to ensure appropriate outreach to the hospital’s patients and the Austin community.
“More than anything, our goal is to get this lifesaving vaccine to the residents of Austin and their neighbors on the West Side who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic,” said CDPH Commissioner Allison Arwady, M.D. “Loretto has acknowledged there were problems with their previous vaccination efforts and apologized for their mistakes. After reviewing the full accounting of past vaccine administered, and after multiple productive discussions with the team at Loretto about our expectations, we are ready to work in partnership with them to help get vaccine to a community that needs it.”
The site opened Wednesday initially to serve Austin residents exclusively and will operate Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from noon-6 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Vaccinations will be offered at no cost and by appointment to people aged 18 and over who live in Austin. Identification and insurance are not required, but proof of address will need to be provided on the day of the appointment. Eligible individuals can sign up at https://events.juvare.com/IL-IDPH/9jft8/. Those without internet access can call 312-746-4835.
“We are humbled and grateful to Mayor Lightfoot and Dr. Arwady for giving Loretto this second chance to participate in the City’s vaccination program after completing a thorough review of our internal audit. While mistakes were made that I wish could be undone, I take full responsibility for those actions as president of this great hospital and have given my word that we will not find ourselves in this situation again," said Loretto Hospital President, George Miller. "Words alone cannot express my gratitude to Loretto staff, who have performed nothing short of miracles serving some of the city’s most vulnerable citizens during this pandemic. And starting next week, we will get back to the work of putting shots in arms on behalf of the city and addressing vaccination access gaps facing communities of colors.”
The now-former chief financial officer of Loretto Hospital was found to have made sure employees at Trump Tower where he lives and a jewelry store he frequented were given COVID shots when they were not yet eligible. They were shots that were to have gone into the arms of residents of the city’s West Side. The CFO has since resigned. The city says more than 100 shots were given to people who were not eligible at the time.
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