Chicago COVID vaccine: Pullman site administering 1K vaccinations to residents over 40 Tuesday

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A COVID vaccination site in the Pullman neighborhood is administering 1,000 vaccines to residents over the age of 40 on Tuesday.

Residents in the 9th Ward got a robocall from their alderman alerting them about this site and they were able to sign up on a link over the web. All of the appointments filled up fast.

The Far South Side has been hit hard by COVID-19. Until now Arnita Rainey couldn't find anywhere to go.

"Well before this came available, I wasn't able to even get an appointment," Rainey said. "I tried at like Advocate and they wouldn't give me an appointment because they say you have to be over 65."

The vaccination site made was possible by Chicago's 9th Ward Alderman Anthony Beale, who teamed up with Jewel-Osco to be able to offer the vaccine at the Pullman Community Center to residents in the area who are age 40 and older.

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"We were trying to get this done last week," Alderman Beale said. "Trying to do a partnership with the city of Chicago to no avail."

Beale claims that a large supply of doses that were earmarked for members of the community at Roseland Hospital were redirected to another area of the city, so he collaborated with Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle to help fill the void.

"We started working the phones over the weekend and we had a conversation with Jewel Osco who stepped up to the plate and gave me 1,000 shots for today and I think it's only the beginning," Alderman Beale said.

The Chicago Department of Public Health responded in a statement saying, "Roseland did not submit a vaccine request form before the 5pm Tuesday deadline last week. At this time we are unable to accommodate orders that were submitted after the deadline. Surveys completed after the deadline are filled the following week, so they will receive those doses next week."

Meanwhile, there are signs that Governor JB Pritzker could announce a phased-in reopening plan for Illinois within days, giving people a better idea of when life could return to normal.

"You know, I listen to the experts when I try to make a judgement about that and what they're telling me is that we need to get close to herd immunity for us to really be normal," Governor Pritzker said.

The governor said that will be whenever we get about 80% of the state vaccinated. Right now, we're at 12%.

Daniel Leggans who lives in the Pullman area is hoping everyone decides to get vaccinated.

"It's about saving lives, saving your own lifesaving the lives of your family members and friends and and on the road or getting back to quite on quote normal," Leganns said.

Meanwhile, the alderman hopes to offer more appointments at the site in weeks to come.