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Walk-up vaccinations at the United Center end today
FOX 32's Roseanne Tellez reports...
CHICAGO - The United Center’s stint as a mass vaccination site is drawing to a close.
Walk-up appointments are ending Monday, although the site will continue to operate as a drive-through vaccination clinic through June 24.
According to the Chicago Department of Public Health, 287,000 doses have been administered at the site since March 9 when it first opened.
The federally-run site delivered about 4,000 shots a day. Although It was capable of delivering up to 6,000 shots daily.
Initially it was to stay open for only eight weeks but the time was extended.
With demand for vaccines dropping, only the drive-through will continue to operate.
When operating at its peak, people reported spending hours trying to book an appointment online or waiting on the phone. Now anyone can walk up without an appointment and get a vaccine.
Dennis Vaughn says he heard the walk-up site was closing on the morning news.
"I said, 'I might as well go get it over with.' I think last is best. It paid off to wait. I don’t have to stand in all these long lines, I don’t have to deal with all these crowds," said Vaughn.
One woman arriving to get her shot said if you’re going to get one at all now is the time.
"Definitely traveling, I think is my big motivator for getting vaccinated," said Maddie Wehking. "My parents and my family are also vaccinated. But I think personally, for me, to be able to travel and feel normalcy ... will be nice."
The state department of health says 65% of adults in Illinois have now received at least one dose of a covid-19 vaccine and 48% are fully vaccinated.
The United Center site is administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine which is only approved for adults over 18.
The site will stop taking walk-up appointments at 6 p.m. Monday.