Chicago mass COVID vaccination sites near Wrigley Field, Chicago State University to open Monday
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Two new mass vaccination sites are coming to Chicago next week, including one next to Wrigley Field.
Steps from where Babe Ruth famously called his shot, Chicago residents will be able to get theirs at a conference center next to the Friendly Confines.
While Wrigley Field itself won't be utilized, shots will be given in one of the adjacent buildings in Gallagher Way with the goal of administering 2,000 doses per day. It will be operated by Advocate Aurora Health.
SEE ALSO | COVID cases spike in 2 zip codes on Chicago's North Side
"In a neighborhood of young people who are active and out there? Yeah, I feel good about it," Wrigleyville resident Angela Perez said.
The Wrigley Field location opens Monday, as does a new center at Chicago State University on the South Side, where a drive-thru option will be available April 12.
"I think it's a huge opportunity for our community," Chicago State University President Zaldwaynaka "Z" Scott said. "I hope the community will come out and avail itself of this resource. We're going to make it easy for people."
SEE ALSO | Walgreens acknowledges 2nd dose scheduling problems in Chicago area, nationwide
The Chicago State University site will serve 1,200 walk-up and 1,000 drive-thru appointments a day. It will operate six days a week, Monday through Friday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Chicago State site will administer the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, deliveries of which are increasing dramatically.
SEE ALSO | Illinois COVID vaccine efforts expand across state as other COVID-19 metrics rise
Next week, Illinois and Chicago are set to receive a combined 188,000 Johnson & Johnson doses, more than double what we saw this week and a 13-fold increase over last week's deliveries.
More vaccine is needed to combat a rise in cases, including a nearly 50% increase in the past week among adults age 18-39.
"People are seeing vaccines go up, people in our age group. People feel invincible, so I would say that's kind of attributed to it," North Side resident Tim Delacey said.
Both sites are by appointment only with no on-site registration. Appointments will be made available on zocdoc.com/vaccine later this week, and additional appointments will be added daily.
All Chicagoans eligible in Phases 1A, 1B or 1C will be able to schedule appointments. The vaccine will be offered at no cost, and insurance is not required. Documentation requiring immigration status is also not required, the city said.
