CHICAGO (WLS) -- Loretto Hospital has admitted to mistakenly vaccinating 72 employees at Trump Tower downtown.
The hospital said the doses administered last week came from its regular vaccine allotment, not from the "Protect Chicago Plus" program for hard-hit communities.
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In a memo sent to staff, Loretto's President and CEO George Miller said he authorized the vaccinations at the request of West Side residents who couldn't leave their jobs at the hotel to get their shots.
Miller wrote that the hospital was, "at the time, under the impression that restaurant and other frontline hospitality industry workers were considered 'essential' under" the city's 1B requirements.
He said he now understands they were mistaken, after "subsequent conversations with the Chicago Department of Public Health."
LORETTO HOSPITAL FULL STATEMENT
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On March 10 and 11, 2021, The Loretto Hospital infectious disease team vaccinated 72 predominately Black and brown restaurant, housekeeping, and other hotel support personnel at Trump International Chicago. Stemming from requests from West side residents who work at the hotel and were unable to leave their jobs to be vaccinated during regular in-hospital hours, this effort was one of multiple off-site community vaccination initiatives undertaken by The Loretto Hospital in accordance with its mission of ensuring vaccine accessibility to the minority communities hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The vaccine doses used were from The Loretto Hospital's vaccine allotment, not from Protect Chicago Plus allocations, which are reserved specifically for Austin residents. The Chicago Department of Public Health has been in contact with hospital leadership to clarify the department's guidance regarding community vaccinations moving forward.
LORETTO CEO'S LETTER TO STAFF
On March 10, I authorized The Loretto Hospital infectious disease team to vaccinate 72 predominately Black and brown restaurant, housekeeping, and other hotel support personnel at Trump International Chicago. Similar to other community vaccination efforts we have undertaken, this stemmed from requests from West side residents who work at the hotel and were unable to leave their jobs to be vaccinated during regular in-hospital hours. We were, at the time, under the impression that restaurant and other frontline hospitality industry workers were considered "essential" under the City of Chicago's 1B eligibility requirements. I now understand, after subsequent conversations with the Chicago Department of Public Health, that we were mistaken.
The vaccination doses used at the hotel were from our Loretto vaccine allotment. They were not part of Protect Chicago Plus allocations, which are designated for and being administered exclusively to Austin residents. Our mission remains focused on ensuring vaccine accessibility to the minority communities hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. We have met the community where they are, responding to requests to vaccinate 1B-eligible brothers and sisters at Malcolm X College, subsidized senior housing facilities operated by Habilitative Systems, Inc., Featherfist Women's Shelter, By The Hand Club For Kids, Moving Everest charter school, CPD's 15th Precinct, and several community churches. I am proud to work alongside a team that has so tirelessly and selflessly devoted itself to this mission.