Illinois health officials will conduct a series of mass-vaccine booster clinics in several communities in coming days in an effort that coincides with residents age 12 and older now being eligible for the shots.
According to a joint press release from the Illinois Department of Public Health and Illinois Emergency Management Agency, the clinics will be used to help meet the growing demand for booster shots in the state.
“Booster shots are a key part of keeping ourselves and our loved ones as healthy as possible this winter,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a statement. “My administration is partnering with local health departments to make these free vaccines as accessible as possible for all eligible residents – which now includes Illinoisans 12 and up.”
The clinics will provide booster shots of any of the three currently-approved COVID vaccines. No appointment is necessary, and no identification or health insurance will be required to get the shots.
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Here is the list of dates:
Jan. 7 – Joliet Junior College in Joliet, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Jan. 9 – Addison Trail High School in Addison, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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Jan. 9 – SIUE Vadalabene Center in Edwardsville, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Jan. 16 – Spring Hill Mall in West Dundee, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
As a reminder, here are the eligibility guidelines for booster shots:
Pfizer-BioNTech
-Residents must be 12 years of age or older
-Residents are eligible for this booster shot five months after their second dose of the Pfizer vaccine
Moderna
-Residents must be 18 years of age or older
-Residents are eligible for this booster shot six months after their second dose of the Moderna vaccine
Johnson & Johnson
-Residents must be 18 years of age or older
-Residents are eligible for this booster shot two months after their initial Johnson & Johnson vaccine dose
Adults are eligible to mix-and-match their booster shots, and will be allowed to choose which booster shot they receive at the clinics.
A total of 3,275,652 Illinois residents have received their COVID vaccine booster shots since they became available. Approximately 68.6% of the state's eligible population is now fully vaccinated against COVID, while 77.3% of eligible residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine.
