Vaccine Clinics To Open At Illinois Travel Hubs For Memorial Day

ILLINOIS — Vaccination clinics targeted at Memorial Day travelers will deliver the Johnson & Johnson shot at Union Station and travel centers in Mount Vernon, Troy, Effingham, Bloomington and Pontiac, officials announced Wednesday.

The initiative is made possible through partnerships with places like Amtrak, Walmart and Hyvee. In Chicago alone, nearly 30,000 travelers are expected to funnel through Union Station from almost 100 trains scheduled to run Memorial Day weekend.

The AAA released their Memorial Day travel prediction last week, expecting 60 percent more travelers than last year's holiday weekend. The surge comes as CDC data says about 40 percent of the country's total population has been fully vaccinated.

"After an incredibly difficult year, lifesaving vaccines have truly opened the door for a summer of fun and venturing out, which is why Illinois is pulling out all the stops to make accessing these vaccines as easy as stopping for gas," said Gov. J.B. Pritzker in a release.

The clinic at Union Station will be open Friday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. No appointment is necessary, though only those 18 and up will be eligible.

TravelCenters of America locations in Mount Vernon, Troy, Effingham and Bloomington will host clinics from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and then from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday through Tuesday.

Those clinics will also be offering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at no cost.

Additionally, there will be a vaccination clinic at Wally’s and Hy-Vee along Interstate 55 near Pontiac that will be operate from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Memorial Day.

And, as an extra incentive for an easy vaccine, Wally's will be offering a free fountain drink for anyone who gets vaccinated on Monday.