Free Rides To Vaccination Sites Now Available In Cook County

CHICAGO — Suburban Cook County residents who need a ride to a vaccination location can call a hotline to schedule free transportation under a new Cook County Department of Public Health initiative.

The Destination: Vaccination program announced Monday is a partnership between county officials, Chicago-based healthcare transportation company Kaizen Health and more than a half-dozen community organizations. It will offer free rides for people who need help getting to vaccination clinics.

Dr. Kiran Joshi, co-lead and senior medical officer at the county health department, said the community-based organizations are a valuable resource to help public health officials reach residents in every region of the county.

“We continue to see low vaccine uptake in several communities and are aggressively employing tactics to educate people, to answer questions, to combat misinformation and to remove barriers to care throughout Cook County," Joshi said, announcing the new program. "‘Destination: Vaccination’ is a great model of public health in the community.”

There are more than 2.5 million people in suburban Cook County. About 55 percent of them were fully vaccinated as of Monday, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Any resident of suburban Cook County — or Chicago residents looking to be taken to a Cook County Health vaccination location within the city — may call 833-308-1988 to schedule a ride.

Officials prefer advanced scheduling, but depending on the time of day and the availability of cars, a ride should appear between 30 and 60 minutes after calling, according to the Cook County Department of Public Health.

The transportation company contracted with the county, Kaizen Health, has vehicles available to accommodate those in wheelchairs, kids who require child seats and other special needs.

Mindi Knebel, the company's chief executive officer, said logistical impediments often lead vulnerable populations to sacrifice their healthcare needs.

“Transportation is a significant gap in the delivery of health care for so many residents, and as we see COVID-19 case counts rising again," Knebel said, "we are honored to be part of this partnership to offer this service to our neighbors at precisely the right time."

Among the community-based organizations assisting with the program are Access to Care, Center of Concern, Family Christian Health Center, Next Move Community Services, PASO Action, Pathlights, Seasons Community Outreach Services, and Sisters Working It Out, county officials announced.

More information about the Destination: Vaccination program and a list of vaccine and testing locations is available online, along with information about how homebound residents of suburban Cook County can arrange for vaccinations.

“Transportation is a critical barrier for those in traditionally underserved communities," Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said. "We want to eliminate this barrier for residents who otherwise want to receive vaccinations."

According to a recent poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, four out of five people who have not yet been vaccinated against COVID-19 said they "probably will not" or "definitely" will not get vaccinated. Less than 20 percent of unvaccinated people say they are likely or certain to get vaccinated.

Nearly two out of three people who are not vaccinated — 64 percent of respondents — said they are not confident that the vaccines work against coronavirus variants like the highly contagious delta variant. Only one out of six vaccinated people are not confident that the vaccines are effective against variants.

Dr. Howard Koh, a Harvard professor and former assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, told the Associated Press it is essential to reach unvaccinated people one-on-one to learn their concerns and respond to widespread misinformation with facts. He described the surge of infections and deaths among the unvaccinated as tragic.

“What I learned from my patients is that when a loved one dies, that’s a tragedy,” Koh said. “But when a loved one dies and you know it could have been prevented, that tragedy haunts you forever.”