CHICAGO – Chicagoans looking to get vaccinated against the coronavirus can now try to find appointments from around the city through an online scheduling tool.
The city is working with Zocdoc to create a more centralized platform where people can schedule vaccination appointments when they are available, said Dr. Allison Arwady, chief of the Chicago Department of Public Health, Tuesday. You can use the Zocdoc tool by clicking here.
Until now, Chicagoans eligible for Phase 1B vaccinations have been told to call their primary doctor or hospital, to try to schedule an appointment at local pharmacies, or to see if they could be vaccinated through their workplace. That caused headaches for many people, who rushed to figure out where to get vaccinated – and then had to fight with others to get appointments during the short periods they were available before refueling.
Appointments will still be hard to come by as demand for vaccine doses remains high while the city only receives a limited amount from the federal government. And the city still urges people to try and get appointments through their primary care provider, their employer, or a pharmacy.
But the city hopes the Zocdoc planner can be a free, less confusing resource for Chicago residents who would otherwise have trouble finding and booking 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. That will “create a central market to help Chicago residents access vaccinations,” according to a press release from the city.
Not all vaccine providers in Chicago list their open appointments in the planning tool. But more providers are expected to join, according to the city. You can check out other sites here where you can sign up to get vaccinated.
People will be able to register online for the appointments via Zocdoc. The tool checks whether you are eligible for vaccination. If so, nearby vaccination sites and open appointments will be displayed. People can then make an appointment.
Appointments will be limited and there will be times when people check on Zocdoc and no appointments are available, said Richard Fine, Zocdoc vice president of strategy. But people can give Zocdoc their email address and the planner will contact them when appointments are made.
The planner is free for users, and Zodoc doesn’t bill the city or sell people’s data, Fine said.
People currently eligible for vaccinations in Chicago:
- Chicagoans 65 and older, with special priority for those 75 and older and those 65 and older with underlying medical conditions.
- Frontline employees:
- Correctional workers.
- First responders.
- Supermarket employees.
- People working in production / factory settings with outbreaks.
- Day care, K-12 and early childhood workers.
- Public transport workers.
- Other production workers.
- Agricultural workers.
- Continuity of government and postal workers.
- Stage 1A people, including health professionals.
Vaccine providers in and around the city:
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