Chicago is set to expand COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to residents in Phase 1C next Monday, according to the city's top doctor.
As part of the city's previously announced plan, Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said residents in Phase 1C can begin scheduling coronavirus vaccinations next Monday.
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WATCH HERE"We are moving to 1C exactly on schedule," Arwady said in a press conference on Tuesday.
City officials said the expansion means that next week, vaccine eligibility in Chicago will expand to residents with underlying health conditions and essential workers, including restaurant employees, hotel workers, hairdressers, clergy members, construction workers, delivery drivers, and warehouse workers, among others. Those already eligible under Phases 1A and 1B will also remain eligible in 1C.
Click here for a full list of who is eligible
After moving through vaccinations in Phase 1C, Arwady had initially announced Phase 2, which incudes all Chicagoans, would begin May 29. However, she announced that date will likely move up to May 1, depending on the amount of vaccines the city receives.
President Joe Biden said earlier this month that he wanted all adults in the U.S. to be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine by May 1, which would be considered Chicago's Phase 2.
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Arwady previously noted that most Chicago residents eligible for the coronavirus vaccine in the city's Phase 1C will be able to schedule vaccination appointments in April or May.
"I know a lot of people are anxious to be vaccinated and I also know that April is probably going to feel frustrating for some of them...and into May," Arwady said. "I do think that we will be at a point that is going to start feeling more like a typical flu vaccine."
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SIGN UP She added that by May, the city could have enough vaccine to partner with employers to provide workers with the COVID-19 vaccine.
The speed at which the vaccine can be administered will primarily depend on how quickly Chicago can receive shipments from the federal government, Arwady explained, which could depend on when most people in Phase 1C can be vaccinated.
Arwady noted that eligibility at city-run vaccination sites will be limited to only Chicago residents.
"I want to clarify that beginning March 29, only Chicago residents will be able to be vaccinated at City of Chicago vaccination sites," Arwady said. "We've asked health care providers to continue prioritizing vaccination for their existing patients who have the most underlying conditions, so we don't require residency requirements for you to get vaccinated with your regular doctor or when we are doing employer-focused vaccinations, which is likely to be able to begin, probably more in earnest in May."
Arwady said the city won't force a residency requirement, but said for public vaccination sites "at least for the next couple of months, we will be limiting that eligibility for Chicago residents."
Lightfoot noted, however, that as eligibility expands, appointments will still be limited based on supply.
For a complete look at where and how you can make an appointment in Illinois or where you can receive vaccine information for your area, click here.
