When a coronavirus vaccine becomes available, health officials want all of Chicago to be vaccinated.
Chicago Department of Public Health commissioner Allison Arwady said Monday officials are "building our plans to vaccinate the whole city of Chicago."
The news comes as the city on Monday launched a first-of-its-kind health app for residents during the coronavirus pandemic.
The "Chi COVID Coach" will give residents the opportunity to pre-register for vaccine dissemination once it becomes available.
"Though a vaccine may be many months away, CDPH is already taking steps to prepare for mass vaccination," the mayor's office said in a release. "Because of this feature, everyone is encouraged to sign up, whether symptomatic or not."
Arwady said the app will make it easier for health officials to prepare for vaccinations, but registering on the app doesn't "put you first in line."
"When a vaccination becomes available we'll be able to hit the ground running," she said.
The COVID-19 app is described as a "mobile-friendly, web-based application to support residents during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond."
The app, which was built with Google and MTX, will allow the Chicago Department of Public Health to "communicate directly with Chicago residents who may be COVID-19 positive or experiencing symptoms, providing them with important information and guidance," according to the mayor's office.
"It's another example of us being proactive and getting ahead of the curve with COVID-19," Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Monday.
According to the city, the app will:
- provide text messages to registered users that are tailored to their symptoms, and guidance about where and when to seek medical care
- alert registrants when and where COVID-19 testing - and down the line, approved antibody testing - is available
- allow for daily check-ins to monitor the well-being of residents and let them know what they and other people in their household should do to limit the spread of COVID-19.
It's available here.
