City and Suburban Congressional Dems Want More United Center Access
A National Guard member checks in residents for a COVID-19 vaccine at the United Center in Chicago.
11 of 13 Democratic members of Illinois’ congressional delegation want more people to have access to the United Center vaccine site or more sites set up in the suburbs.
From the Chicago Sun-Times:
At first, Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Mayor Lori Lightfoot and FEMA officials said the United Center was intended for all eligible Illinois residents.
The door soon closed for people who did not live in Chicago or Cook County.
The central location and initial abundant supply of appointments made the United Center a magnet for anyone who could get there.
“It’s a desperate situation but I think time is going to solve this problem as we have more vaccines, more distribution centers,” Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., told reporters Friday.
Some lawmakers got calls from frustrated and angry constituents who had United Center appointments canceled when the eligibility rules suddenly changed.
The letter, organized by Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill., said: “Many of our constituents who fall in the vulnerable category, but who don’t live in Chicago, felt frustrated with the recent determination to limit eligibility at the United Center Federal Mass Vaccination Center for Illinois residents outside of the city and county.”
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The Democrats asked FEMA to:
-Given the focus on Chicago residents, share detailed plans and a timetable for more mass vaccination sites or mobile units.
-Share how the locations of those federal sites are determined and consult more with local officials on placement of additional centers.
-Inform them if the United Center will be used beyond the planned eight weeks.
The switch to limit most of the shots to residents of Chicago and Cook County came Sunday, after it was revealed that fewer than 40% of people signing up for the initial vaccinations were Chicago residents.
That percentage “is at odds with the equity base and inclusion-driven reasons behind why the United Center was selected as a vaccine site in the first place,” Lightfoot said earlier this week.
The city is allotted 60% of the vaccinations at the United Center, with 30% reserved for Cook County; the state can designate who receives the remaining 10%.
The Chicago Tribune reported Saturday the site will open up to a few more ZIP codes, exclusively in the city:
Those living in the 60624, 60644, 60651 and 60653 ZIP codes became eligible Saturday for sign-ups at the mass inoculation center that promises to vaccinate thousands of residents per day, according to a statement from the city. They join residents in the 60608, 60619, 60620, 60649 and 60652 communities that had remaining slots reserved for them starting Tuesday because they have been hard hit by COVID-19 and have low vaccination rates.
None of them have to be in the current phase of age, medical condition or employment eligibility status to register, although that is not the case at any other vaccination site in Chicago, which remains in Phase 1b of essential front-line workers and people 65 or older. Phase 1c, people with underlying health conditions and other essential workers, is slated to start on March 29 in the city.
Since Tuesday, when the five initial ZIP codes got first dibs on appointments, 75% of the slots were taken up by Black, Latino and Asian residents, according to city data.
By the way, Congressman Darin LaHood (R-Dunlap), who voted against the latest federal COVID-19 relief bill, toured the vaccine site at the State Fairgrounds Friday. Per the SJ-R:
LaHood said he didn't vote for Biden's almost $2 trillion COVID-19 relief package, which was signed into law this week after receiving no Republican votes, because Biden didn't seek input from Republicans and because the legislation was too costly and filled with liberal initiatives.
LaHood said he supports economic stimulus checks of up to $1,400, which the new law contains, but joint filers with annual incomes as high as $160,000 shouldn't be eligible for the checks.
"You need to have it targeted to people that actually need it and remembering that all this money goes on the federal credit card," LaHood said.
He said he opposed the $400 billion set aside for local and state governments. Illinois state government is projected to receive at least $7.5 billion of the total.
Pritzker's aides have said specific uses for the money haven't been determined yet as state officials await federal rules on how the funds can or must be spent.
LaHood said the $400 billion represents "bailouts to blue states with no real strings attached."