Dear Friend,

As I write to you, COVID-19 vaccinations are becoming more widely available. While obtaining these shots and delivering them to those who need them are two separate challenges, this is still incredible news. And as you prepare to be vaccinated, I want you to be aware that there is now a new option for those in the Chicago area, as the United Center will now serve as a mass vaccination site. Read on to find out about this and other options.

New mass vaccination site at United Center

Beginning Thursday, March 4 at 8:30 a.m., Illinois seniors will be able to schedule their first COVID-19 vaccine appointments at the United Center, which is located at 1901 W. Madison St. in Chicago. Beginning March 9, a limited number of vaccinations will be administered, followed by a full opening March 10. Following the appointment period for seniors, all Illinoisans eligible under the state’s Phase 1B+ will be able to start scheduling appointments on Sunday, March 7 at 4 p.m.

The United Center site’s 6,000 vaccine doses per day are provided by the federal government and do not affect the supplies already obtained by the City of Chicago or the State of Illinois. More than 100,000 appointments over the following three days will be available when registration opens.

The vaccine will be offered at no cost, and insurance is not required, nor will it be requested at the federal community vaccination center. Documentation regarding immigration status is also not required.

 

How to make an appointment at the United Center

Illinois residents can register for United Center vaccine appointments online or through a call center.

To register online, visit Zocdoc.com/vaccine. You will be asked to provide your date of birth when booking an appointment to confirm vaccine eligibility.

To register by phone, call (312) 746-4835. A multilingual call center will be available to help seniors make appointments Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The vaccine site will operate seven days a week for eight weeks under the federal government’s vaccination pilot program. The facility will be managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) with support from the Department of Defense, State of Illinois, Cook County and City of Chicago.

Free, state-run COVID-19 testing remains operational in Auburn Gresham

While we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, we must not forget that we are still in a pandemic and we still need to be protecting our friends, family and neighbors by maintaining social distance, washing our hands, covering our face, and being tested for COVID-19 whenever we have reason to believe we may have been exposed. Remember that Chicago’s free COVID-19 testing site is in Auburn Gresham and there are no restrictions on taking advantage of it.

Community-Based Testing Site
7938 S. Halsted St., Chicago, IL 60620
8 a.m. - 4 p.m. every day except Tuesdays

• No medical insurance neccessary
• No referral needed
• No appointment needed
• No symptoms required
• Available for all ages

If you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to contact my office here.

Sincerely,

Jacqueline Collins
State Senator, 16th Illinois Senate District