Week of May 10, 2021 – Updated May 12, 2021
COVID-19 Vaccine FAQ - Skokie Health and Human Services Department

Effective on May 12, 2021, pre-registration is no longer required for Village of Skokie COVID-19 vaccination clinics. 

Links to appointments for scheduled vaccination clinics will be posted in the “Featured Announcements” section on the home page at www.skokie.org. Clinics will be updated as often as they are scheduled, usually a week in advance. All Village vaccination clinics are at 7770 Frontage Road, Skokie. It is completely accessible, and has a large parking lot with a good supply of handicapped parking near the main entrance. See a map of the clinic location.

Pfizer Vaccine - All Skokie residents age 12 and over and employees at Skokie businesses are currently eligible to register for an appointment at clinics offering Pfizer vaccine. A parent or guardian with proof of Skokie residency must accompany any minor under age 18, and unvaccinated parents and guardians are encouraged to receive a vaccine as well. Appointments for second doses will be made at the clinic after receiving the first dose.

Moderna Vaccine - All Skokie residents age 18 and over are eligible and employees at Skokie businesses are eligible to register for an appointment at clinics offering Moderna vaccine. Appointments for second doses will be made at the clinic after receiving the first dose.

Employees at all Skokie businesses are now eligible to register to receive a vaccine at a Village clinic. Upon check-in at the clinic, employees will have to show proof of employment at a Skokie location by providing a pay stub, business card, verification on company letterhead or similar document.

See information about receiving a COVID-19 vaccine translated in English and these languages: Arabic, Assyrian, Gujarati, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog and Urdu. 

Erie Family Health Centers that serves Skokie residents is offering walk-in vaccines for anyone age 16 and over either with or without insurance, and citizenship is not required. See more information in English. See more information in Spanish. Erie Family Health Centers is located at 1285 Hartrey Avenue, Evanston.

As of Friday, May 7, 2021, the Village had administered approximately 25,132 doses of vaccine. See more details on vaccine supply below. 

All residents, even those who have been vaccinated, should stay vigilant and continue practicing COVID-19 safety precautions to protect themselves and their community. Practice the 3Ws: wear a mask, wash your hands and watch your distance, along with avoiding large in-person gatherings. 

Skokie residents can register for vaccination appointments at Cook County mass vaccination sites. Click here for more information.

Village of Skokie COVID-19 Vaccination Process

1.  Make your appointment from the links to scheduled clinics that are available on in the “Featured Announcements” section on the home page at www.skokie.org. 

2.  Receive your first vaccine dose. Please do not arrive more than five minutes before your appointment. Please bring a current, state-issued photo ID showing proof of Skokie residency. Be sure to wear short sleeves and a mask. If you work at a Skokie healthcare provider, please bring a work ID or documentation of employment. 

3.  While you are at the Village’s clinic for your first dose, you will make the appointment for your second dose. While at a Village of Skokie clinic receiving their first dose of vaccine, individuals will be able to make an appointment for their second dose while at the clinic either on their smartphone, tablet or at one of several available computer kiosks. Village staff or volunteers will be able to assist with the process and/or to answer questions about securing appointments. Those who cannot make their second-dose appointment on site will receive the information needed to make the appointment at a later time. Residents who need assistance after leaving the clinic should email COVID19@skokie.org or call the Village’s COVID-19 vaccination hotline at 847/779-7726. 

4.  Receive your second vaccine dose. Please do not arrive more than five minutes before your appointment. Please bring a current, state-issued photo ID showing proof of Skokie residency. Be sure to wear short sleeves and a mask. If you for a Skokie healthcare provider, please bring a work ID or documentation of employment. 

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: What is the status of Skokie’s COVID-19 vaccine supply?

A: 

• As of Friday, May 7, 2021, the Village had administered approximately 25,132 doses of vaccine. 
• Data received from the Illinois Department of Public Health shows that from December 2020 through May 3, 2021, a total of 37,529 Skokie residents have received at least one dose of vaccine (at Skokie's clinic and through other providers), representing:
  1. 60 percent of Skokie's total population
  2. 75 percent of Skokie residents age 16 and above
  3. 92 percent of Skokie residents age 65 and above
• A total of 27,860 residents are fully vaccinated, representing 44 percent of Skokie’s total population and 56 percent of Skokie residents age 16 and over.
• Skokie's current positivity rate is 3.4 percent. See Skokie’s COVID-19 data.
• As vaccine supply allows, the Village will continue to offer first-and second-dose clinics, with second doses prioritized if vaccine supply becomes insufficient. 
• Skokie residents can search for appointments at Walgreens, Jewel-Osco and area hospitals. Search for area vaccination sites.

The best place to get up-to-date information is the Village’s website, www.skokie.org. Important information is posted in the “Featured Announcements’ section of the home page. 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.

Q: I already had COVID-19. Do I still need a vaccine, or am I immune from having had the virus?
A: If you have had COVID-19, you still should be vaccinated. Long-term immunity does not occur after having the disease. 

If you had COVID-19 without complications (not hospitalized or did not receive plasma or antibodies as treatment) you must wait at least 10 days after the start of your isolation period to schedule an appointment. You also must be fever-free for at least 24 hours without using fever-reducing medicine and have improving symptoms before receiving a vaccine. For example, if you had a positive test on May 1, you would be eligible for a first-dose vaccination on May 11 or after if you had COVID-19 without experiencing complications, have improving symptoms and have been fever-free for 24 hours without medication.

If you contract COVID-19 between receiving your first and second doses of vaccine, you must wait your entire 10-day isolation period before receiving your second dose of vaccine. The CDC recommends that you receive the second dose as close to “on-time” as possible, but not during your 10-day isolation period. If you were hospitalized or received plasma or antibodies, please call Skokie Health and Human Services at 847/933-8252 and ask to speak to a nurse who will ask you questions to determine the specific timeframe for your first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

Q: What about the new Johnson & Johnson vaccine that has had safety concerns?
A:  Vaccine safety is always our top priority. The CDC and FDA recently lifted the temporary pause on administering Johnson & Johnson vaccine (J&J). The Village is currently only offering Moderna and Pfizer vaccines at its clinics. See more information on J&J vaccine from the CDC.

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. 

Q: I do not have a computer or email address. How will I be notified when vaccination appointments become available?
A: 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. 

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 Skokie Health and Human Services Department is now collecting information on Skokie homebound residents who want to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. A homebound resident is a Skokie resident that is unable to leave their home due to severe mobility issues. Persons who are able to leave their home with the assistance of one person are not considered to be homebound. 

If you are homebound or know a loved one that is homebound, please contact the Village’s COVID-19 hotline 847/779-7726 to register that homebound resident with the Village. Residents that meet the criteria will be called by the Village at a future date to have a COVID-19 vaccination date and time scheduled. Note that due to vaccine availability, it may take the Village several months to vaccinate all homebound residents. This program is for Skokie residents only.

Residents with mobility issues, but who are able to leave their home with assistance are encouraged to schedule an appointment with the Village to receive the vaccine at the Village’s on-site vaccination clinic. Below are 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/