Illinois Launching 2 More Mass Vaccination Sites, Including 1 in Des Plaines

Illinois will soon launch two new mass vaccination sites, including one in Des Plaines, officials announced Wednesday.

The state-supported sites are set to launch Thursday in both Des Plaines and Quincy, bringing the total number of mass vaccination sites in Illinois to 18. The Des Plaines site, located in a former K-Mart at 1155 E. Oakton St., marks the fourth such site in Cook County alone and will be what county officials say is the first large-scale facility to administer the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in Illinois.

“The COVID-19 vaccine site in Des Plaines is our latest step forward in vaccinating Cook County and our most vulnerable communities,” Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said in a statement. “This new site, which is conveniently located for many residents of the northwest suburbs, will be utilized over the coming months as we progress in our program and vaccine supply increases.”

According to Cook County, the Des Plaines location will open appointments Thursday afternoon and begin vaccinating residents Friday or Saturday, pending the arrival of vaccine doses. For more information on appointments and availability click here.

The launch comes on the same day appointments for the upcoming United Center location open for certain eligible residents, with plans to begin vaccinations next week.

Both the Des Plaines and Quincy sites will offer nearly 4,000 doses per day combined when at full capacity, officials said.

“With our new operations in Des Plaines and Quincy, Illinois is now operating 18 state-supported mass vaccination sites in addition to the network of more than 800 vaccination locations around the state all trained on one goal: vaccinating as many people as possible, as quickly as possible,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a statement. “One in six Illinoisans have already received their first dose of vaccine, and as the federal government increases Illinois’ deliveries to over 100,000 a day later this month, IDPH and our 97 local health departments are prepared to meet the moment. In the meantime, I encourage all Illinoisans to wear their masks and stay vigilant as we power through to the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Pritzker also announced plans to activate National Guard members to Union, Johnson, Pope, Hardin, Alexander, Pulaski and Massac Counties.

In addition, Chicago is also planning to open "new mass vaccination sites in the coming months."

According to Advocate Aurora Health, a mass vaccination site is being explored at Wrigley Field.

Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady has also said the department looked into hosting a mass-vaccination site Soldier Field.

“We are completely ready to stand up mass vaccination sites, but it’s about vaccine,” she said last month.

Pritzker has hinted at the possibility for additional locations in Illinois as well.

When asked if Chicago's McCormick Place could be a future site, Pritzker said "the opportunity for us to look at other locations is always open."

For a look at how you can sign up for a COVID vaccine appointment in Illinois, click here.

The increasing number of mass vaccination sites follow Illinois' entry into Phase 1B Plus, which expanded eligibility for vaccinations under Phase 1B to include people with certain high-risk medical conditions and comorbidities.

While the state expanded its Phase 1B, many counties, health departments and hospital systems - including Chicago and Cook County - said they would not join the rest of Illinois in increasing eligibility, citing low vaccine supply for those who already qualify.

Previously under the earlier iteration Phase 1B, residents age 65 and over as well as essential workers qualify to receive the vaccine.

Here's a look at the mass vaccination sites now launched in Illinois:

Opens	Location	Address	Appointment	Doses capability at full capacity
Now Open	Tinley Park Convention Center	18451  Convention Center Drive	https://vaccine.cookcountyil.gov	2,160
Now Open	North Riverside Health Center	1800 S. Harlem Avenue, North Riverside IL	https://vaccine.cookcountyil.gov	270
Now Open	Morton East School Base Clinic	2423 S. Austin Blvd, Cicero IL	https://vaccine.cookcountyil.gov	270
Now Open	Robbins Health Center	13450 S. Kedzie Ave., Robbins IL	https://vaccine.cookcountyil.gov	135
Now Open	Cottage Grove Health Center	1645 Cottage Grove Ave., Ford Heights IL	https://vaccine.cookcountyil.gov	135
Now Open	Blue Island Health Center	12757 S. Western Ave., Blue Island IL	https://vaccine.cookcountyil.gov	270
Now Open	Arlington Heights Health Center	3250 N. Arlington Heights Rd. Arlington Heights IL	https://vaccine.cookcountyil.gov	270
Now Open	Triton College	2000 5th Ave., River Grove IL	https://vaccine.cookcountyil.gov	540
Now Open	South Suburban College	15800 State St., South Holland IL	https://vaccine.cookcountyil.gov	540
Now Open	Thornton Fractional South High School	18500 Burnham Ave, Lansing, IL 60438	https://vaccine.cookcountyil.gov	270
Now Open	Orr Building	Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield IL	http://www.SCDPH.org (217) 210-8801	1620
Now Open	Belle-Clair Fairgrounds	200 S. Belt E #2650, Belleville IL	https://www.co.st-clair.il.us/departments/health-department	1080
Now Open	Banterra Center	Southern Illinois University, Carbondale IL	http://www.jchdonline.org/.	540
Now Open	Carbondale Civic Center	Carbondale IL	http://www.jchdonline.org/.	540
Now Open	Winnebago County	1321 Sandy Hollow Rd., Rockford IL	https://www.wchd.org/	1350
Now Open	Gateway Convention Center	1 Gateway Drive., Collinsville IL	https://www.co.madison.il.us/departments/health/index.php	1350
Mar. 4	Former K-Mart	1155 E Oakton St, Des Plaines, IL	https://vaccine.cookcountyil.gov	1,890
Mar 4	Oakley Lindsey Center	300 Civic Center Plaza, Quincy IL	https://www.adamscountytogether.com/	2,100
Mar 10	United Center	1901 W. Madison Street, Chicago IL	https://www.zocdoc.com/vaccine/screener?state=IL	6,000