Chicago at-home vaccination drives now open to children ages 5 to 11

Chicago’s at-home vaccination drives are now open to children ages five to 11, after the Food and Drug Administration authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children in that age range.

Starting Monday, children aged five to 11 and any other individuals eligible for a vaccine can get inoculated at one of Chicago’s at-home drives, in which up to 10 people can get vaccinated at a time.

The city, in a statement announcing the drives, said “Chicagoans can invite family, friends, or neighbors to their home to be vaccinated together.”

The at-home drives offer the Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. They are also equipped with booster shots for both vaccines.

Additionally, individuals who get their initial jab at an at-home drive are eligible to receive a $100 Visa gift card, including children older than five. Recipients who receive their booster shots, however, do not qualify for a gift card.

Chicagoans can schedule appointments in more than 70 neighborhoods throughout the city.

The at-home drives are among a number of steps Chicago officials have taken to increase vaccination rates in the city.

The Chicago Public School System gave students a day off on Friday to observe “Vaccine Awareness Day,” in an effort to encourage parents and guardians to bring their kids to get the jab.

Additionally, officials announced in August that Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration was requiring all Windy City employees to be fully vaccinated by mid-October.

Chicago has seen more than 332,000 COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic. Infections peaked to their highest levels in November 2020 with more than 2,300 per day, according to the city’s COVID-19 dashboard.

Now, the city is averaging fewer than 500 daily new cases.