Multiple Meijer locations in Illinois are now offering vaccinations as the state continues to expand the sites where residents can get doses.
As of Wednesday, the state said eight Meijer locations were administering doses.
The company urged residents to pre-register online in order to receive a vaccine at one of the state's locations. Vaccinations will be offered either through a local Meijer Pharmacy or possibly through an offsite Meijer clinic
Residents can also text "COVID" to 75049 to receive updates directly. When appointments become available those who sign up will receive a text with the option to accept, defer or be removed from the list. The company also said residents could call their local pharmacy to check for available appointments.
For more information on how those eligible in Phase 1B can sign-up for appointments through Meijer, click here.
The Meijer locations were among more than 100 new COVID-19 vaccination sites added in Illinois in the last week, according to a news release from state health officials Wednesday.
Since Feb. 4, the state said it has added 22 local health department, medical center and hospital locations, along with two new mass vaccination sites and 110 retail pharmacy stores, including Walmart and Meijer locations. (For a full list click here)
For a complete look at where and how you can make an appointment in Illinois or where you can receive vaccine information for your area, click here.
The added locations bring Illinois' total vaccination sites to 517.
Vaccinations are now available at several Hy-Vee, Jewel-Osco, Kroger, Mariano’s, Meijer, Walgreens, and Walmart pharmacies in Illinois. In total each chain is administering doses at the following number of locations:
• Hy-Vee – 16 locations
• Jewel-Osco – 143 locations
• Kroger – 24 locations
• Mariano’s – 31 locations
• Meijer – 8 locations
• Walgreens – 181 locations
• Walmart – 8 locations
More than 3.2 million of the state's residents are eligible for vaccinations under Phase 1B, which includes people age 65 years and older as well as "frontline essential workers." That list will expand beginning Feb. 25, officials announced.
Current vaccination sites in the state are available by appointment only, but the state plans to launch walk-in locations in the coming weeks, officials previously said.
Still, despite the added locations, Illinois officials continue to urge patience, saying vaccine supply is limited.
"We are limited by the amount of vaccine available and allocated by the federal government," the governor's office said in a release. "Vaccinations are available only by appointment at this time and we encourage people to check back frequently for open appointments. Until the supply is increased, there will be a great demand and we ask people to be patient."
