COVID vaccine: West Rogers Park mass vaccination site opens at Western, Devon

CHICAGO (WLS) -- West Rogers Park is one of the most culturally diverse neighborhoods in Chicago where multiple languages are spoken. So far, access to the vaccine has been tough - until today.

"Everybody should be in and nobody should be out," said Dr. Tariq Butt, Chicago Medical Society. "That is the purpose: to bring the vaccination into these neighborhoods and services to these communities that may have language barriers."

Prism Health opened its first permanent mass vaccination site on Western near Devon. On Wednesday, 1,000 doses were being administered by appointment only. It is the amount this neighborhood received from the city.

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"I chose to come into this neighborhood, I thought it was the most underserved area," said Prism Health Medical Director Dr. Mehbub S. Kapadia.

With a huge immigrant population, it's also been an area hit hard by COVID.

"It's a great need that is in our area and I'm so ecstatic they are here," 50th Ward Ald. Debra Silverstein said.

Many here brought their non-English speaking relatives to get vaccinated. Dao Aria said she felt lucky to get appointments for her aunt and dad.

"They are old, you know, and they need to get vaccinated, so they can feel confident," she said.

The vaccination site was open only for one day. It will reopen next week as soon as Prism Health knows how many more doses it will get from the city.