CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The spreading Delta variant has Mayor Lightfoot and Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady stressing the importance of getting all eligible people vaccinated against COVID.
Mayor Lightfoot told Chicagoans to mask up indoors – especially on public transit – as the Delta variant puts the area in the category of "substantial" spread of the virus.
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She scolded people cramming on to CTA trains without masks going to and from Lollapalooza this weekend, and said she’ll start ticketing if necessary.
“Do not get on public transportation in this city without a mask. Do not,” Lightfoot said. “I hope that we don’t’ have to get to a point where we’re writing people tickets, but if we need to get to, to get the word out and to make sure that people are complaint, we absolutely will."
Otherwise, Lightfoot said she was happy with protocols at the festival and other steps the city has taken.
"I feel very good about what we've done. Obviously, we'll know a little bit more in a week to 10 days, but we have to keep pushing the fact that the unvaccinated are the people that are at risk," Lightfoot said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Allison Arwady countered fears about breakthrough infections by saying 99.9 percent of Chicagoans who’ve been vaccinated have not gotten the virus; and stressed the importance of getting vaccinated. She residented that the city is offering even more options for people to get vaccinated at home.
"We've got evening hours now. We can vaccinate up to 10 people at a time. You can choose between Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson. There is no identification required. No insurance required. You will not get a bill. So please call this number and we would love to bring vaccine to your house," Dr. Arwady said.
She and the mayor said there are no plans now to shut down Chicago again, but rising COVID cases renew their vaccine push to get shots in arms of those still unvaccinated.
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"We can be open by also being careful. And let me put a more finer point on it: we must be careful to be open," Lightfoot said.
"Being careful means getting vaccinated," Dr. Arwady added.
Mayor Lightfoot identified six zip codes on the South and West sides where vaccination rates are under 50 percent, including South Deering, Englewood, South Shore, Auburn-Gresham, Austin, and Roseland.
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