COVID-19 Vaccine
The COVID-19 vaccine is being distributed in Lake County in phases.
Wearing masks and social distancing help reduce your chance of being exposed to COVID-19 or spreading it to others, but these measures are not enough. Vaccines will work with your immune system so it will be ready to fight the virus if you are exposed.
Getting vaccinated and following the CDC’s recommendations to protect yourself and others will offer the best protection from COVID-19.
Current Vaccination PhasesPhase 1a: Healthcare Personnel and Long-Term Care Facility ResidentsCurrently, vaccine supply is limited. The Lake County Health Department continues to vaccinate Phase 1a, healthcare personnel and long-term care facility residents by appointment only. Please make sure you are registered in the AllVax system so we can notify you when you can schedule your appointment. Vaccinations at long-term care facilities in Lake County began on December 28, 2020. These are vaccinations are being done by Walgreens and CVS through a federal program. Phase 1b: Adults Ages 65 and Older and Frontline Essential WorkersSome local hospitals, healthcare providers, pharmacies, and other partners began giving vaccines on a limited basis to Phase 1b, adults ages 65 and older and frontline essential workers, on January 25. This phase will continue for several months. A map of local providers is available on the State of Illinois website. The Lake County Health Department is offering appointments to seniors ages 65 and older at the Lake County Fairgrounds. Please make sure you are registered in the AllVax system so we can notify you when you can schedule your appointment. Until vaccine supply increases, Lake County will not be expanding to the "Phase 1b plus" group announced by the Governor, which includes people ages 16–64 with co-morbidities, high risk health conditions, and disabilities. Per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations for transitioning between phases, we will look to move in to the "Phase 1b plus" group when 60-70% of persons within the current phase are vaccinated or when supply of vaccines exceeds demand in the current phase. However, pharmacies and other entities that receive vaccines directly from the state or federal government are free to follow the Illinois expansion that begins February 25, 2021. Click here for a detailed list of people in each phase. For more information, visit How CDC is Making COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations. |
Lake County AllVax PortalRegister to get notified when it's time to make an appointment for your COVID-19 vaccine. |
Local Vaccination SitesSeveral local federal and state-run sites and Lake County community sites are vaccinating eligible residents. |
Illinois Vaccine LocatorFind vaccination locations on a map. Get appointment information by following the listed links. New sites and pharmacies are being added daily. This map is managed by the State of Illinois. |
Your Healthcare ProviderProviders are reaching out directly to schedule appointments with their existing patients, prioritizing those ages 65 and older. Visit your health system's website for more information. |
The Lake County AllVax Portal is open! Please register so we can notify you when it is time to make your appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine. You will only receive an email to schedule when you are eligible and the Health Department has vaccine and appointments available to you.
To access the portal, click the button below or visit AllVax.lakecohealth.org.
You will also have the option to allow the AllVax system to share your name, date of birth, email address, phone number, and zip code with our COVID-19 vaccination partners. This will give you access to more locations providing vaccines in Lake County as supply increases.
Need help? Email us at AllVax@lakecountyil.gov for assistance or visit our Frequently Asked Questions page for more information. If you have having difficulty registering online, please call (847) 377-8130. Please note, we are currently experiencing very high call volume. We are working to help as many people as we can to get registered. If you send us an email or leave a voicemail, we will return your call. Thank you for your patience!
Be sure to watch our short videos to learn how to register yourself and others.
Local Vaccination Sites
Because of limited vaccine supply, all sites are by appointment only, and no walk-ins will be accepted. See below for details on eligibility and how to make an appointment.
Federal and State Vaccination Sites
United Center (Parking Lot E) |
Lake County Community Vaccination Sites
Greenbelt Cultural Center |
Oak Street Health Clinic |
YWCA Lake County |
Phase 1a Eligibility*
At Lake County Health Department clinics, you will be asked to provide proof of your eligibility as a healthcare worker.
Please bring one of the following:
- An employee ID badge
- Paycheck stub
- Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) letter
- Professional license or certificate
If you registered as a Long-Term Care Facility resident or staff, please bring your facility ID.
If you do not bring verification with you to the clinic, you will not be provided the vaccine.
| Eligible Settings | Occupation |
|---|---|
| Hospital Settings | |
| Hospital |
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| Non-Hospital Healthcare Settings | |
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| Long-Term Care Facilities | |
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| Other Congregate Care Settings | |
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| Other - Home Health | |
| Those providing "Home Health" or serving as a "Home Aide/Caregiver" for a relative with a disability as defined by the Illinois Department of Human Services on January 21, 2021. | |
Phase 1b Eligibility*
At Lake County Health Department clinics, you will be asked to provide proof of your eligibility.
If you are eligible due to your age, please bring a photo ID to confirm your date of birth.
If you registered as a frontline essential worker, you will be asked to verify your employment. Please bring one of the following:
- An employee ID badge
- A letter from your employer
- Paycheck stub
If you registered as a day care worker, please bring:
- DCFS license letter OR DCFS license-exempt letter; AND
- Proof of employment from an eligible facility.
If you do not bring verification with you to the clinic, you will not be provided the vaccine.
| Eligible Individuals | Examples |
|---|---|
| People age 65 and older | |
| Frontline Essential Workers, including: | |
| First Responders |
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| Education (Congregate Child Care, Pre-K through 12th Grade) |
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| Food and Agriculture |
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| Manufacturing |
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| Corrections Workers and Inmates |
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| Postal Service Workers | |
| Public Transit Workers |
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| Grocery Store Workers |
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| Shelters/Adult Day Care |
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*Last updated Feburary 10, 2021. Eligibility criteria is subject to change.
Avoid COVID-19 Vaccine Scams
Protect yourself. Do not give your personal information to unknown sources. The Lake County Health Department and legitimate vaccine providers will NEVER:
- Ask for your Social Security, bank account, or credit card number.
- Ask you to pay out of pocket to get the vaccine.
- Ask you to pay to put your name on a waiting list or to get early access.
- Offer to sell or ship doses of vaccines for payment.
The Lake County Health Department is not able to verify if you have been scammed. If you believe you have been the victim of COVID-19 scam, please report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at reportfraud.ftc.gov. For more information, visit the FTC website.
Vaccine Information
View more information on vaccine distribution and registration using the links below.
- How the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is Making Vaccine Recommendations
- 8 Things to Know about the U.S. COVID-19 Vaccination Program - CDC (Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean)
- Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 Vaccination - CDC (Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean)
- The Illinois Department for Public Health (IDPH) COVID-19 Vaccination Plan
- COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions - IDPH (Spanish, Polish, French, Chinese)
- AllVax COVID-19 Vaccine Registration Tutorials
- Frequently Asked Questions on the AllVax Portal (Spanish)
Vaccination Documents
If you are receiving your COVID-19 vaccine through the Lake County Health Department, you will need to review this information prior to your appointment.
Information for Healthcare Providers
COVID-19 Healthcare Providers Alert
Updates from the Health Department to healthcare providers in Lake County:
- Your Community Needs You: Expanding Vaccine Capacity in Lake County — January 20, 2021
- Healthcare Workers and the Lake County AllVax Portal — December 17, 2020
Become a Vaccine Provider
In an effort to reduce the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and create immunity to COVID-19 within our population, the Lake County Health Department is working with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to distribute vaccines within our community as quickly and safely as possible.
COVID-19 vaccines are purchased by the federal government and disseminated to state and local health departments for distribution. The order in which people may receive the vaccine is based on criteria established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).
The Health Department will be providing some vaccination services. Additionally, the Health Department will partner with some outside clinics and entities to provide more vaccination opportunities for those that live and/or work in Lake County.
All providers interested in administering the COVID-19 vaccine must sign up for I-CARE. Learn more about becoming a vaccine provider.
Vaccination Plan
- The Illinois Department for Public Health (IDPH) COVID-19 Vaccination Plan
- COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility - IDPH
- COVID-19 Mass Vaccination Guidance for Providers - IDPH
- How the CDC is Making Vaccine Recommendations
Vaccine Information
- COVID-19 Real-Time Learning Network - CDC/IDSA
- General COVID-19 Vaccine Information - CDC
- Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Information - CDC
- Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine Information - CDC
- Clinical Care Considerations for COVID-19 Vaccination - CDC
- Training and Education - CDC
- Vaccinate with Confidence - CDC
- V-safe After Vaccination Health Checker - CDC
Communication Toolkits
Information for Employers
On January 25, Lake County has entered into COVID-19 Vaccination Phase 1b, which means that frontline essential workers and people age 65 and older are eligible for vaccination. Vaccine supply remains limited, but as more becomes available we believe that employer Points of Dispensing (PODs) will play a critical role in expanding vaccination capacity to our Lake County community.
Host an Employer POD
Please fill out a brief questionnaire to express interest in serving as an employer POD location. Our staff will then assess interest with vaccine and vaccinator availability and phase eligibility. Thank you for considering being a part of this historical effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Types of PODs
Closed PODs
The easiest way to move forward with an eligible employer vaccine site is a Closed POD. In a Closed POD, an employer (if eligible) or a third-party vaccine provider (more common) registers in the State’s I-CARE program. The Lake County Health Department distributes vaccines for administering to eligible employees either on-site or at a partner location.
The most common Closed POD involves employers contracting with a third-party vaccination provider. These are often companies that provide contract occupational health, employee wellness, and onsite flu clinics.
- Steps for Developing and Operating a Closed POD
- View a list of occupational health partners for COVID-19 vaccine
Disclaimer: The Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center is in no way responsible for, does not endorse, and is not affiliated with any of the listed organizations. Information and links are provided only as a convenience. Users of this site are strongly encouraged to inquire into these organizations and their services. The Health Department is not responsible for the content of any linked site. The Health Department disclaims any and all liability regarding, arising out of, and in connection with, such providers, their services, and any information on or linked to this website about them.
Partner PODs
If an employer is not eligible to administer vaccine themselves and does not have a third-party vaccinator to partner with, the Lake County Health Department may be able to partner to provide staff/volunteers and vaccine. This option will be available based on vaccine and staffing resource availability.