Sinai Chicago partnered with the City of Chicago and several Little Village community organizations for a second vaccination clinic event in Little Village on April 10th. Another 350 residents received their initial doses of COVID-19 vaccine at St. Agnes of Bohemia Catholic Church on the West Side. This was the second vaccination clinic coordinated at St. Agnes for residents to receive first doses. Follow up events for these residents to receive their second doses will take place later in April and May.
The vaccination clinic was again coordinated as part of the City’s Protect Chicago Plus initiative designed to get critical vaccinations to communities hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Seven community organizations from Little Village coordinated outreach and appointments for the doses – the Little Village Chamber of Commerce, Enlace, New Life Church, Universidad Popular, Erie House, El Valor and the 22nd Ward Office of Alderman Michael Rodriguez.
“The communities we serve on the West Side have been hit harder by COVID-19 than many other neighborhoods in the city,” said Karen Teitelbaum, president and CEO of Sinai Chicago. “Sinai Chicago is committed getting residents of our communities vaccinated as quickly as possible, and we are happy to collaborate with the City of Chicago and our community partners in this effort.”
The vaccination clinic took place from 8 am until 4:30 pm at St. Agnes of Bohemia Catholic Church. The participating organizations reached out to local residents who were eligible for vaccines under CDPH guidelines and coordinated with Sinai Chicago to schedule appointments. Sinai Chicago caregivers administered over 350 doses of the COVID vaccine, supplied by CDPH through Protect Chicago Plus.
“COVID-19 has had a disproportionate impact on Black and Latinx residents across Chicago, and we know that meeting people where they live and providing access to the vaccine makes a big difference,” said Sybil Madison, Deputy Mayor of Education and Human Services. “Partnerships have been essential to ensuring that vaccine finds its way to communities hardest hit by COVID-19, and we are thankful to Sinai Chicago for working with us to vaccinate our neighbors on the West Side.”
Sinai Chicago continues to offer COVID-19 vaccinations for eligible community members in accordance guidelines from CDPH. Due to limited supplies, eligible individuals are asked to register by visiting https://www.sinaichicago.org/en/covid-19/vaccine-request/ and filling out the online form. A member of Sinai Chicago’s vaccination team will follow up to verify eligibility and schedule an appointment for a vaccination based on the availability of vaccines.
Those who get vaccinated should expect minimal side effects. The most common are pain at the injection site, fatigue, headache, muscle aches and fever. Most of these last just 1-2 days. Side effects mean the vaccine is working and the body’s immune system is reacting and creating antibodies to fight COVID-19.
For those who have had COVID-19 or are currently recovering, it is recommended that you get the vaccine. You should wait until you have recovered. Once you are no longer in quarantine with no symptoms, you can — and should — get vaccinated. You should still wear a mask and practice social distancing, even after you are vaccinated. While the vaccine will prevent you from getting sick, you still may be able to transmit the virus to others.
For more information about COVID-19, visit Sinai Chicago’s webpage at www.sinaichicago.org.