The Mayor and City health officials have urged residents to seek vaccination appointments wherever they can – with healthcare providers, pharmacies, and state mass vaccination clinics. It appears that Evanstonians have taken this advice.
The City of Evanston reports that a third or 20,901 of Evanston residents 16 and older have received at least one dose of the vaccine and a fifth or 12,372 of residents 16 and older are fully vaccinated.
The proportion of Evanston seniors vaccinated is higher; 88% of residents 65 and older have received at least one dose and 56% are fully vaccinated according to City figures. The City expects that nearly all residents 65 and older will be able to receive a first dose by the end of March.
About 12% of Evanston residents are 65 and older and 83% are 16 and older.
The City of Evanston has administered or distributed to local partners, 18,163 doses of the vaccine, including 1,227 last week. Of the 12,372 residents fully vaccinated, it appears only 4,440 were vaccinated at City administered vaccination events.
Mayor Stephen Hagerty and Evanston Health and Human Services Director Ike Ogbo said the City of Evanston has far greater vaccination capacity than doses received. The City expects to receive between 1,200 and 1,400 first doses per week during the next two weeks, but has the capacity to vaccinate more than 1,000 individuals per day.
A portion of vaccine doses that might have gone to public health departments have been diverted to mass vaccination sites such as the United Center in Chicago and the Cook County site in Des Plaines. Cook County mass vaccination sites are now open to Evanston residents, and some appointment slots at FEMA’s United Center mass vaccination site will soon be allocated to Cook County residents.