In a COVID briefing today, dr. Chicago Health Commissioner Allison Arwady said the city received 21,450 extra Pfizer vaccines and 16,200 doses in its first shipment of Moderna shots. The city hopes to use it this week, in addition to the “more than 20,000” doses in the first Pfizer consignment already given to patients.
Both the city – which receives doses directly from the federal government – and the state expect more each week. According to Arwady, the city expects only health workers and nursing home residents to receive doses “in January and through February.”
Arwady said the 20,000 people vaccinated so far are mostly health workers living in the city. Some city residents working in the health field in Chicago have also been vaccinated, Arwady said, but she did not say how many.
Despite some delays at the national level, Arwady said, the city received the number of doses it expected. Hospitals were initially given priority, and now shipments are being sent to some neighborhood clinics and nursing homes. One priority she now said: “Home health workers. We focus on that very early on. ”
Arwady did not specify whether the city would follow or change the recommended federal priorities as it moved from Phase 1A – health workers and nursing home residents – to Phase 1B. Federal regulators have suggested that some “essential” workers and those over 75 be given preference in Phase 1B, with those over 65 plus other essential workers and those with underlying medical conditions waiting until Phase 1C. But other states, including Florida and Texas, have said they will include anyone over 65 in Phase 1B.