Over the next few weeks, staff, faculty and student employees will receive a brief survey asking about their interest in receiving and ability to access the vaccine. This survey is being distributed upon guidance from the Chicago Department of Public Health. It will help to quantify vaccines needed and inform future educational efforts around vaccine safety and efficacy. Survey results will be anonymous and used for DePaul's planning purposes only.
As of Jan. 25, Chicago entered Phase 1B of its rollout. In this phase, CDPH is focusing on areas where the most COVID-19 cases and outbreaks have taken place, including correctional facilities and among first responders. Phase 1B includes these groups:
- Chicagoans age 65 and older
- Nonhealthcare residential settings, such as homeless shelters and correctional facilities
- Frontline essential workers
The city's timeline and populations in each phase are subject to change. The timeline also is dependent on the city receiving greater quantities of vaccine doses, something that is a priority for the federal government. You can read about the city's definition of frontline essential workers and more about its distribution plans on the Vaccine Distribution website. (If you live outside of Chicago, information is available on the Illinois Department of Public Health website or your own state's public health website.)
Along with CDPH, we ask for your patience as the city works to vaccinate the over 700,000 Chicagoans who are eligible during Phase 1B.
What you can do now:
If you are eligible to receive the vaccine and are notified about making an appointment, DePaul highly encourages you to follow through for your own safety and to protect those around you.
While DePaul is working hard to help our faculty, staff and students access the vaccine as soon as it is their turn, we encourage you to take steps to stay informed about vaccine distribution in Chicago and the area in which you live. If you live outside Chicago, you may become eligible for the vaccine on a different timeline than Chicago's distribution schedule.
Chicago's Vaccination Updates site has the latest information on the city's plans. To sign up for more information on the vaccine rollout in Chicago, including updates on when, where and how vaccination may be offered to you, go to https://covidcoach.chicago.gov/.
While the city defines K-12 educators as frontline essential workers in Phase 1B, university educators are not. We will communicate status updates to all employees as the city moves through the phases of vaccine deployment.
Hospitals and long-term care facilities as well as some pharmacies and outpatient providers in Chicago are currently offering COVID-19 vaccination to priority groups. Areas outside of Chicago may have different availability, which is why it is important for you to seek information that is specific to where you live. Even if you are eligible, it may take weeks for you to get an appointment because vaccine supply is currently limited.
Whether you have been vaccinated or not, please continue following the health and safety practices DePaul has encouraged since the start of the academic year. That includes:
- Staying home when you are sick.
- Wearing a face mask over your nose and mouth.
- Keeping 6 feet between you and others.
- Washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Using the #CampusClear app each time you plan to come to campus.
By taking care of yourself, you take care of the entire DePaul community.