Week of January 25, 2021
COVID-19 Vaccine FAQ - Skokie Health and Human Services Department
The Village of Skokie continued vaccinating healthcare workers this week and also began vaccinating Skokie residents age 65 and older. Additional vaccination clinics will be made available as the supply of vaccines allows. The availability of vaccines will continue to be the single most important factor in how soon residents can be vaccinated.
Pre-Registration and Vaccine Appointment Communication Information
Q: How can I pre-register for a COVID-19 vaccination from the Skokie Health and Human Services Department?
A. All Skokie residents age 18 and over, and healthcare workers employed at a Skokie healthcare provider, are invited to pre-register to receive a future notification from the Village's Health and Human Services Department when they qualify to make a COVID-19 vaccination appointment.
The Village is following the guidelines of the Illinois Department of Public Health and will be providing free vaccinations in a multi-phased approach. For more information on these phases, click here. The Village will move to new phases as sufficient doses of the COVID-19 vaccine become available. Proof of Skokie residency and/or if applicable employment as an essential worker (Skokie residents only) or employment with a Skokie healthcare provider (non-Skokie residents) will be required to receive a vaccine. Each household member age 18 and over must complete this survey.
Click here to access the COVID-19 Vaccination Pre-Registration site.
Q: When I pre-register for a Skokie vaccine, will I receive an email confirmation?
A: No, you will not receive an email confirmation. When you complete the survey, a box should pop-up indicating that you have successfully completed the survey.
Q: I received an email from the Village inviting me to register for a COVID-19 vaccine, but I was not able to reply in time to secure an appointment. Do I lose my place in line?
A. When it is time for you to make your vaccine appointment you will receive an email from the Village with a link to the vaccination appointment portal. Appointments are limited and will book quickly! If you are unable to make an appointment when you receive the initial email, please watch for similar emails in the following weeks. Vaccination clinic appointments are being sent based on the order in which individuals pre-registered their priority group and when vaccine supplies are received - which is unpredictable. Email invitations will continue to include residents who missed the initial email invitation.
Q: I pre-registered with the Village and have not received an email invitation to make an appointment. When will I receive one?
A. If you or your loved one have pre-registered with the Village in the 1B or later phases and have not received an email, know you are still in the system and will receive an email in the coming weeks. Due to the limited supply of the vaccine, additional emails will be sent as clinic appointments and vaccines become available.
Those residents that have signed up first are being notified first of an opportunity to then register for a vaccine appointment. If a resident forgets or misses their opportunity to register for the actual vaccine appointment, the Village will continue to send them notifications for future available vaccine clinics.
The availability of vaccines will continue to be the single most important factor in how soon residents can be vaccinated.
Q: Are vaccine appointments being prioritized based on age or other health issues?
A: No, vaccine priorities are not being given outside of the set phases as provided by the State of Illinois. To view the phases please visit https://www.dph.illinois.gov/covid19/vaccine-faq and/or https://www.dph.illinois.gov/covid19/vaccination-plan.
Phase 1B - includes persons aged 65 and older and certain essential workers.
Phase 1C - includes persons 16-64 years old with medical conditions that increase the risk of severe COVID-19.
Q: I do not have a computer or email address. How will I be notified when vaccination appointments become available?
A: Due to the extreme levels of calls and appointments being made, the Village is encouraging residents to make appointments electronically. If you do not have a computer or an email address, we ask that you find a family member, friend or neighbor to help you pre-register online and to help make an appointment when they are available. If you do not have anyone to help you, please call the Skokie COVID-19 Hotline at 847-779-7726 to pre-register with your name, address and phone number and you will be notified when an appointment is available.
Q. How is Skokie getting the word out about COVID-19 vaccinations to residents without access to computers?
A. An informational postcard is being mailed to all Skokie homes within the next two weeks with information on pre-registration for the benefit of residents without internet access. See the Village of
Skokie COVID-19 postcard. (also pictured to right)
Q: I heard that if I just show up at Skokie’s clinic at the end of the day, I might be able to get a vaccination because of no-shows. Is this true?
A: NO! Vaccinations will be administered by appointment only, and individuals who come to Skokie’s clinic without an appointment will be turned away without receiving a vaccine.
Q: When will Skokie begin vaccinating residents and others in Phase 1B identified by the CDC and Illinois Department of Public Health?
A: The Village began providing vaccinations to Skokie residents age 65 and older, as well as Skokie residents who are healthcare workers who are in Phase 1B this week and clinics will continue depending on vaccine supply availability. If you are pre-registered with the Village of Skokie, you will receive an email notification when the COVID-19 vaccination appointments become available for your phase.
Q: I have registered to receive a vaccine through my health provider or other health departments, should I cancel my pre-registration with Skokie?
A: No, you do not need to cancel your pre-registration with the Village if you sign-up to receive the vaccine elsewhere. When the Village sends out the appointment email for your phase, you can disregard if you have already received the vaccine.
Q. Do I qualify in priority group 1A?
A. Priority groups for receiving the COVID-19 vaccine were established by the CDC and the State of Illinois. The Skokie Health and Human Services Department’s goal is to vaccinate those most at-risk first using the phased approach provided in the State of Illinois COVID-19 Vaccination plan.
Priority group 1A includes individuals who work in healthcare at hospitals and long-term care facilities, as well as those who work in healthcare in non-hospital settings and other congregate care settings. See more information from the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Q. I’m a resident who works in healthcare. When will I be eligible for the vaccine from Skokie?
A. All residents should pre-register on the Village of Skokie’s pre-registration portal and, in the various portal sections, indicate whether they belong in a priority group due to their age being 65 or older, profession as an essential worker or whether they are between the ages of 18 and 64 and have an underlying medical condition that places them at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Skokie residents who have pre-registered will receive an email when they are eligible to make a vaccine appointment based on their priority group. The Village’s vaccine allotment from the State of Illinois is anticipated to increase, as the vaccine is more readily available. Our goal is to vaccinate those most at-risk first using the phased approach provided in the State of Illinois COVID-19 Vaccination plan.
Q. What’s the best way for me to stay informed of the Village’s overall COVID-19 vaccination plans?
A. The best place to get up-to-date information is the Village’s COVID-19 webpage, https://www.skokie.org/1017/COVID-19, that is updated frequently. Please also subscribe to SkokieNews, the Village’s electronic newsletter that is issued every Tuesday afternoon and more frequently when there is important information for the community.
Second Dose Information
Q. I am a Skokie resident and already received my first dose of vaccine from another medical provider. Can I get my second dose from the Village of Skokie?
A. Residents are advised to try to secure their second dose from the same medical provider that administered their first dose. If this is not possible, please email the Skokie COVID-19 email hotline.
Q. How will those that received the first vaccine be notified of their second vaccine?
A. Notices will be sent via email, along with a link to register for their second dose. This email will go out anywhere from one week or less prior to when their second dose is due.
Changing or Transferring a Vaccination Appointment
Q. Can I give my scheduled appointment to one of my colleagues or more vulnerable family members?
A. No. Appointments slots will only be held for the individuals who register and are able to produce proof of Skokie residency or employment at a Skokie healthcare provider.
Q. I made an appointment for a vaccine but need to change it or I want to cancel. How can I do this?
A. Appointments can be canceled by calling Health and Human Services at 847/933-8252. Due to the demand for vaccines, changing an appointment will likely not be an option at this time.
Required Identification for Skokie Residents and Healthcare Workers at Skokie Healthcare Providers
Q. What kind of ID will be required?
A. A state-issued photo ID with a Skokie address is required. Absent this, a state-issued photo ID along with a current utility bill or lease document with a Skokie address and that person’s name will suffice. Skokie residents under age 65 that are essential workers qualifying for vaccination in group 1B also should be prepared with proof of employment. Healthcare workers who are not Skokie residents but work for a Skokie healthcare provider must also bring proof of employment.
Other Questions About Qualifying for a COVID-19 Vaccine from the Village of Skokie
Q. I don't live in Skokie but am an essential worker at a Skokie business, and I think that I fall into category 1B or 1c. Do I qualify for a vaccine through the Skokie Health and Human Services Department?
A. No. Except for a few exceptions, only Skokie residents with proof of residency can get vaccinated at a Skokie Health and Human Services vaccination clinic. Exceptions include healthcare employees that work at a Skokie healthcare provider or educators that work at Skokie schools. All other non-Skokie resident essential workers that work at Skokie businesses should contact the health department for the community in which they live http://www.idph.state.il.us/LHDMap/HealthRegions.aspx, or ask their employer or healthcare professional about other options for receiving the vaccine.
Q. What about caregivers who are coming into the homes of Skokie residents?
A. If they live outside Skokie, they are not eligible. If they work for a healthcare provider located in Skokie, then they do qualify.
Q. I heard on the news that teachers at Skokie schools received the vaccine first. Why is that?
A. After extensive planning, the Health and Human Services Department opted to begin smaller, controlled vaccination clinics where pre-identified control groups including healthcare workers at Skokie healthcare providers and educators at Skokie schools would be vaccinated first. These two groups fall within the CDC and IDPH designated initial priority groups for vaccine distribution. These initial controlled clinics allowed the Health and Human Services Department to ensure future vaccine clinics are managed efficiently, prior to opening larger clinics to Skokie residents. The Village’s vaccine allotment from the State of Illinois will increase, as the vaccine is more readily available. Larger and more frequent Village-run vaccine clinics will continue for Skokie residents. Over 3,000 doses of the vaccine were administered in clinics held over the past two weeks (January 19, 20, 26 and 27), and the clinics during the week of January 25 served Skokie residents age 65 and older and healthcare workers at Skokie medical practices.
Q. I heard that the Village gave a lot of its vaccine to Skokie Hospital. Is that true?
A. The Village’s first shipment of the vaccine in mid-December 2020 was shipped directly to Northshore University Healthcare, where it was used to vaccinate Phase 1A healthcare workers. This was arranged through the Illinois Department of Public Health. Soon thereafter, Skokie Health and Human Services started receiving vaccine that has been administered through the Health and Human Services Department at the Village’s clinic.
Transportation Options to Skokie’s COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic
Q. I don’t drive or am homebound. Will the Village come to my home to give me the vaccine?
A. The Village will not be providing in-home appointments for the COVID-19 vaccine. You will need to make arrangements with a ride-share service, taxi, neighbor or friend to bring you to a clinic, or contact your physician for other options. Below you will find links for information about RTA para-transit service (if you are income-eligible) and a few private, fee-based special transit services.
https://www.rtachicago.org/rider-resources/accessible-transit/paratransit-certification
https://www.specialneedschicago.org/home
https://britelift.com/services/