Advocate Aurora Health administers 100,000th dose of COVID-19 vaccine

Advocate Aurora Health on Tuesday administered the health system’s 100,000th dose of COVID-19 vaccine, marking another significant milestone in the battle against the pandemic.

Marian Gaither, 88, of the Washington Heights neighborhood in Chicago, received the 100,000th dose of vaccine on Tuesday morning at the Advocate Aurora COVID Vaccine Center in Oak Lawn, Ill. It was her first dose of the vaccine. Photos of Gaither receiving her vaccine can be downloaded here.

“I’m tired of staying in the house,” Gaither said.

She said she is hopeful that widespread vaccine distribution eventually will mean a safe return to activities she enjoys that have been put on hold during the pandemic. Gaither is most looking forward to attending church services in person again and meeting with her friends in the seniors group to play cards and take church trips.

She has been sticking close to home in Chicago, where she lives with her husband. Her son and daughter bring groceries and help run errands for their parents. Her daughter accompanied her for the 15-minute trip to receive the vaccine.

“It doesn’t hurt,” Gaither said. “The people here are very, very nice.”

Our vaccination program continues to be informed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines to ensure fair and equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. Our phased approach prioritizes those most vulnerable based on risk factors including age, health conditions, and those who live in zip codes disproportionately impacted by COVID. On a rolling basis based on risk factors, all Advocate Aurora patients will receive a direct communication, either by email, text or phone call, to schedule their COVID-19 vaccine when it is their turn. We are confident that all who want the vaccine will have the opportunity to receive it in the coming months as supplies increase.

“It’s going to take time to distribute the vaccine, so we need to be patient as it rolls out and continue to be vigilant about wearing masks and social distancing,” Executive Medical Director of Infectious Disease and Prevention Dr. Robert Citronberg said. “But the sight of seniors like Marian getting their vaccine doses is just another reason to be hopeful that we’re going to get to the end of the pandemic eventually.”

Along with other health providers and business partners, we will expand vaccinations to the broader community in line with these phased guidelines as supplies become available. Our website will be updated continuously as new information warrants.