100,000th COVID-19 Vaccine Administered At Advocate Christ

OAK LAWN, IL — Marian Gaither, 88, is getting tired of staying home. She has been sticking close to home in Washington Heights, where she lives with her husband. Her son and daughter bring groceries and help run errands for their parents.

On Tuesday, her daughter accompanied her for the 15-minute trip to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where Gaither received Advocate Aurora Health system’s 100,000th dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at Christ Hospital. It was her first dose of the vaccine.

“It doesn’t hurt,” Gaither said. “The people here are very, very nice.”

Advocate Aurora’s vaccination program continues to be informed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines to ensure fair and equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. The health system’s phased approach prioritizes those most vulnerable based on risk factors including age, health conditions, and those who live in Zip Codes disproportionately impacted by COVID. On a rolling basis based on risk factors, all Advocate Aurora patients will receive a direct communication, either by email, text or phone call, to schedule their COVID-19 vaccine when it is their turn.

The health system remains confident that all who want the vaccine will have the opportunity to receive it in the coming months as supplies increase, said Dr. Robert Citronberg, executive medical director of Infectious Disease and Prevention for Advocate Aurora Health.

"It's going to take time to distribute the vaccine, so we need to be patient as it rolls out and continue to be vigilant about wearing masks and social distancing," Citronberg said. "But the sight of seniors like Marian getting their vaccine doses is just another reason to be hopeful that we're going to get to the end of the pandemic eventually."

Gaither said she is hopeful that widespread vaccine distribution eventually will mean a safe return to activities she enjoys that have been put on hold during the pandemic. She is most looking forward to attending church services in person again and meeting with her friends in the seniors group to play cards and take church trips.

Along with other health providers and business partners, the health system said it will expand vaccinations to the broader community in line with these phased CDC guidelines as supplies become available. Keep checking Advocate Aurora Health Vaccine for regular updates.