COVID-19 vaccine rollout ramps up in Chicago

By Teddy Grant Published: March 5, 2021

COVID-19 vaccine rollout ramps up in Chicago

Less traffic on I-94 South bound in Chicago, Sunday, March 22, 2020. Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday issued a stay-at-home order, the most strict statewide action he's taken to date in the effort to prevent further spread of the new coronavirus. Pritzker's order follows statewide schools closures, restrictions on the size of gatherings, and an order for bars and restaurants to suspend dine-in service. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

By: Teddy Grant

Chicago is increasing its efforts to give the COVID-19 vaccine to as many people as possible by launching a pilot program that would allow firefighters and paramedics to administer the vaccine to the elderly and underserved communities.

BNC has learned around 250,000 senior citizens in Chicago have not been able to get their first dose of the vaccine.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, officials have turned the parking lot of the United Center, home of the Chicago Bulls, to a vaccination site catered to the elderly; Over 100,000 appointments at the arena were made on Thursday.

With vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson available, health experts advise people to take the first vaccine available to them.

Start Your Day host Mike Hill said the vaccine must get rolled out to the Black community and that Black Americans must take it once it’s there, despite “rightly” having concerns about the U.S. healthcare industry.

Dr. Anthony Fauci shared similar concerns sentiments when he appeared on the program on Friday.

“The one thing I’ve learned is that you must respect the concerns and the hesitancy of the African-American community,” Fauci said, adding that he’s been doing work to make sure that unethical treatment to the Black community could never happen again.