CHICAGO — Health officials continued to ask for patience Sunday as Illinois prepares to expand its massive COVID-19 inoculation efforts beyond health care workers starting tomorrow while facing a shortage of vaccines.

At a testing event at St. Saint Agnes of Bohemia Parish in Little Village, leaders said similar community-based efforts could be key for ensuring the vaccine is distributed equitably to communities of color that have seen higher rates of infection.

“The model for COVID-19 testing is actually quite simple, and the model should be used for the vaccine,” Zul Kapadia, Prism Health Lab.

Starting Monday, Phase “1B” will extend vaccine access to people 65 and over and a specific group of essential workers, which includes grocery store employees, manufacturing laborers, daycare, school staff and teachers, public transit employees, agricultural workers and postal workers.

Source: WGN