A new round of COVID-19 vaccinations starting January 19

Champaign County residents 75 years of age or older that did not previously receive a vaccine and people age 65-74 with underlying health conditions can receive a free coronavirus vaccination at an upcoming clinic between January 19 and January 22. The vaccine will be administered by appointment only.

Residents can schedule their time online at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b054ca8a82ca5f94-vaccine or call (217) 239-7877. According to the news release below, "individuals may experience a longer wait time" for appointments by phone.

Full release:

The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD), in partnership with Carle Health, OSF HealthCare, Christie Clinic, Promise Healthcare, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign will be hosting additional community-based COVID-19 vaccination clinics for Champaign County residents. The upcoming clinics will be held January 19-22, 2021 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. by appointment only.

Next week’s clinics will serve anyone 75 years of age or older that did not previously receive a vaccine plus is expanding to include individuals age 65-74 with underlying health conditions - cancer, chronic kidney disease, COPD, heart disease, obesity, sickle cell disease, diabetes, smoking, and immune-compromised due to organ transplant.

Written documentation from the individual’s Primary Care Physician will not be required.

The community clinic will be held at the iHotel and Conference Center located at 1900 S. 1st Street, Champaign.

To register, please use one of the following methods:

Preferred method is online at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b054ca8a82ca5f94-vaccine. Scheduling is also available by calling (217) 239-7877 but individuals may experience a longer wait time. Entrance for the clinic is through the east wing of the iHotel and Conference Center. If you do not feel well the day of your appointment, please call to reschedule.

Special notes:

The Kohl’s Plaza vaccination site administered by Carle Health is full for the weeks of January 18th and 25th and is currently not accepting additional appointments. Those eligible will be contacted when additional clinic dates become available.

Please refrain from contacting your healthcare provider to be placed on a wait list if you do not meet the requirements for the current phase.

“We are very excited as we move through this last phase of the pandemic. Vaccine distribution is rapidly changing so we ask everyone to please be patient as we are able to provide clinics and help our community return to normal. We will announce vaccination availability as quickly as possible so continue to watch CUPHD’s website and social media pages for updates,” said Public Health Administrator, Julie Pryde.

Patients will need to wear a face covering, practice social distancing, and plan to allow at least 15 minutes for observation after the vaccination. Please limit the number of individuals in your party that are not receiving the vaccine and wear clothing to allow easy access to the upper portion of the arm for the injection.

The cost of the vaccine is currently being covered by the federal government and most insurance plans cover the cost to deliver the shot. If you have questions about what your personal coverage is, call your health plan provider at the number on the back of your insurance card. It is important to know that no one will be turned away or receive a charge if they do not have health insurance.

The Illinois Department of Public Health has compiled a comprehensive list of frequently asked questions about the COVID-19 vaccination. Information can be found at: http://dph.illinois.gov/covid19/vaccine-faq.

To track the phases and local vaccinations, visit https://www.c-uphd.org/covid-vaccinations.html.