CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- There continue to be issues with the COVID mass vaccination site at the United Center involving second dose appointments and new eligibility guidelines.
Before shots started going into arms at the United Center, the Chicago Department of Public Health had indicated people would leave not only with their first vaccination, but with an appointment in-hand for their second dose. That did not happen Tuesday and Wednesday. Now, city officials said those appointments were "automatically scheduled" and people will "soon" receive details via email or text message.
Starting Thursday, though, people getting vaccinated at the United Center will be given appointments for their second doses before they leave.
The federally-run mass vaccination site at the United Center opened Tuesday. It was initially open for all Illinois residents eligible under Phase 1A, Phase 1B, and Phase 1B+ (for those with underlying health conditions). Then, after discovering majority of the appointments booked were of people outside Chicago, eligibility was limited to only Chicagoans, and later, suburban Cook County residents.
Now, the city of Chicago is giving people who live in five zip codes on the South and West sides — 60608, 60619, 60620, 60649 and 60652 — a special opportunity to sign up for United Center slots: events.juvare.com/chicago/ucpod with the voucher code "ccvichicago."
Suburban Cook County residents continue to wait for updated information on United Center sign-ups. An announcement is expected later this week, and Dr. Arwady has said the county will follow a similar approach of identifying ZIP codes with high coronavirus infection and death rates for prioritization.
