COVID-19 vaccines for kids 12 to 15 begin at Chicago city-run sites Thursday; no appointment needed
Chicago’s city-operated COVID-19 vaccine sites will begin offering the Pfizer vaccine to kids 12 to 15 starting Thursday, Chicago public health officials said Tuesday while touting the two-dose shot as the strongest guarantee those children can safely celebrate the summer after a trying year of coronavirus-related closures.
The expansion of eligibility to younger kids was prompted by a recent Food and Drug Administration emergency use authorization in anticipation of full approval Wednesday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said Tuesday. The vaccines will be available at all city sites, which already offer the Pfizer shots and will accept walk-ins for those 12 and older starting Thursday.
Arwady said although the city in recent weeks has met a new challenge of having more vaccine supply than demand among residents, she hopes the new eligibility will spark heavy interest among parents of younger children — a critical demographic for achieving herd immunity, public health experts have said. It also will serve as a ticket for a fun summer for children, who have missed out on a typical year amid COVID-19 gathering limitations, Arwady said.
“I strongly encourage all parents to really get their kids vaccinated,” Arwady said during a Tuesday news conference. “We’re bringing back a lot of the things that people are excited about this summer: the pools are going to be open, the camps and the parks and the beaches, children are going to be gathering, and this is by far the safest way to help protect your kid and your family.”
At the city-run sites, a parent or guardian must accompany any minor younger than 18 and sign a form attesting their approval, officials said. Parents and guardians who are not vaccinated will be encouraged to receive a shot as well. The parent will accompany the child throughout the process, and nurses will make a “special effort” to answer their questions about the shot, Arwady said.
A city news release said appointments for Thursday can now be booked through the city’s call center at 312-746-4835 or at www.zocdoc.com/vaccine, though Arwady on Tuesday morning acknowledged that Zocdoc was experiencing some hiccups earlier in the day.
In addition to the city-operated vaccination sites, many local pharmacies also will begin offering the Pfizer vaccine Thursday to those 12 and older, Arwady said. And Chicago Public Schools will partner with the public health department, particularly on Saturdays, to bring the mobile COVID-19 Chicago Transit Authority vaccination bus to high schools across the city, Arwady said.
The COVID-19 vaccines are offered free of charge, and no insurance or ID is required.
Unlike previously when a new group has become eligible for the vaccine, Arwady said she doesn’t expect children to be prioritized by risk, age or other factors because there are enough doses to go around for all who are 12 and older. But she still suggested parents opt for registering their children in advance versus walk-ins for a smoother process.
When asked what the future holds for children being mandated to get the COVID-19 vaccine, as is the case for other immunizations in public schools, Arwady said that doesn’t appear likely in the near future. But she didn’t rule it out.
“At this point, of course, our focus is just on getting started and making sure that vaccine is very widely available,” Arwady said. “There are certainly conversations that are happening across the country, as you know there’s a history of having childhood vaccinations broadly required for school, although there are exemptions that come along with that. I think the COVID-19 vaccine is going to be part of that same conversation.”
All coronavirus vaccines in the U.S. remain under emergency authorization and have not been mandated for Chicago residents, although private employers are free to impose their own requirements.
Cook County Health will follow suit on vaccinating 12- to 15-year-olds “later this week” at its mass vaccination sites, the agency said in a Tuesday statement, although it didn’t elaborate on a specific start day. Parents can sign up for the latest update on appointments at vaccine.cookcountyil.gov, but walk-ins also will be allowed.
Chicago sites accepting those 12 and older are:
American Airlines Conference Center at Gallagher Way in Wrigley Field, 1119 W. Waveland Ave.; 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday (operated by Advocate Aurora).
Apostolic Faith Church, 3823 S. Indiana; 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday.
Chicago State University walk-up; Emil and Patricia A. Jones Convocation Center, 9501 S. King Drive; noon-6 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday.
United Center drive-thru, 1724 W. Madison; 9 a.m.-7 p.m. daily.
Richard J. Daley College, 7500 S. Pulaski, noon-6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday.
Wilbur Wright College, 4300 N. Narragansett; noon-6 p.m. Wednesday and Friday.
Loretto Hospital, 645 S. Central; noon-6 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday; 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday.
Also on Tuesday, Arwady and Malcolm X College president David Sanders rolled out a free “Vaccine Ambassador” course for individuals interested in learning the history of vaccine hesitancy and how to approach peers and loved ones about why it’s important to get the shot. People can sign up at www.ccc.edu/vaccineambassador for the free two-hour course, in English or Spanish, and will receive a certificate upon completion, officials said.
About 650 of Chicago’s contact tracers will also enroll in the program, but there is capacity for thousands of other residents to take the course, Sanders said.
“People are more likely to listen to their friends and neighbors, and that is why we developed this local ambassador program and why it is so important,” Sanders said.
