CHICAGO – Chicago residents who want to get vaccinated against coronavirus can now try to find appointments around the city using an online scheduling tool.
The city is working with Zocdoc to create a more centralized platform where people can schedule vaccinations when available, said Dr. Allison Arwady, head of the Chicago Department of Public Health, said Tuesday. You can use the Zocdoc tool by clicking here.
So far, Chicago residents eligible for vaccinations during Phase 1B have been told to call their primary care physician or hospital, to make an appointment at local pharmacies, or to be vaccinated through their workplace. It caused headaches for many people, who struggled to figure out where to get vaccinated – and then others had to fight to get appointments during the short periods before they were filled out.
Appointments will still be difficult to obtain as demand for vaccine doses is still high while the city receives only a limited amount from the federal government. The city continues to insist that people try to get appointments through their primary care provider, their employer or a pharmacy.
But the city hopes the Zocdoc scheduler can be a free, less confusing resource for Chicago residents who would otherwise struggle to find and make an appointment.
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Zocdoc will list open appointments from the city’s vaccination sites, as well as from local organizations such as AMITA Health, Erie Family Health and Innovative Express Care, among others. It will create a central market to help Chicago residents access vaccinations, according to a city news release.
Not all vaccine providers in Chicago mention their open appointments on the scheduling tool. According to the city, more suppliers are expected to join. You can visit other sites where you can sign up to be vaccinated here.
People will be able to sign up for the appointments online via Zocdoc. The tool will check if you have vaccination. If you are, it will show nearby vaccination rooms and appointments. People can then make an appointment.
Appointments will be limited, and there will be times when people check Zocdoc and there are no appointments available, said Richard Fine, Zocdoc’s vice president of strategy. But people can give their email to Zocdoc and the scheduler will contact them when opening appointments.
The scheduler is free for users, and Zodoc does not charge the city and will not sell people’s data, Fine said.
People currently eligible for vaccinations in Chicago:
- Chicago’s 65 years and older, with special preference for people 75 and older and people 65 and older with underlying medical conditions.
- Frontline essential workers:
- Correctional workers.
- First respond.
- Grocery store workers.
- People working in manufacturing / factory settings with outbreaks.
- Day care, K-12 and early education workers.
- Public transport workers.
- Other manufacturers.
- Agricultural workers.
- Continuity of government and postal workers.
- People from Phase 1A, including health workers.
Vaccines in and around the city:
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