With the recent surge of COVID-19 cases and detection of the Omicron variant in Chicago, Cook County Health is hosting three walk-in COVID-19 vaccination clinics Sunday.

These clinics will provide Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson booster shots to all eligible individuals. First and second doses will also be available for all individuals aged 12 and older.

Anyone who completed their Pfizer or Moderna primary vaccination series at least six months ago or their single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine two months ago can get a booster shot at these events. Individuals in these populations are allowed to “mix-and-match” their booster shots to get one from a provider different from that of their initial doses.

As of Dec. 9, those aged 16 or 17 are also eligible to get a Pfizer booster shot if their second dose of the Pfizer vaccination series occurred at least six months ago.

The three Cook County Health Center clinics will be open for COVID-19 vaccination from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Here are the locations and how to get to each one using public transit.

— Arlington Heights Health Center, 3250 N. Arlington Heights Road, Suite 300

The quickest route, with the fewest transfers, is taking three or four Pace buses to this health center. From the Davis Street CTA Station, residents can take the 250 Pace bus west to the Des Plaines Metra, transfer to the 234 line north to the Buffalo Grove Metra and then take the 604 line north to the Dundee/Arlington Heights stop.

— North Riverside Health Center, 1800 S. Harlem Ave., Suite A.

While a bit farther from Evanston, this clinic is about 10 minutes south by bus from the Harlem/Lake Green Line CTA Station. Residents can take the Purple Line to Howard Station, transfer to the Red Line and get off at Lake. From there, residents have the option of taking the Green Line from State/Lake to the end of the Harlem/Lake route and catching the 307 Pace bus south to Harlem Avenue and 18th Street. Alternatively, individuals can transfer from Lake to Washington Station and take the Blue Line to Harlem, then take the 307 line south.

— Blue Island Health Center, 12757 S. Western Ave.

To get to this location with CTA trains and buses, residents can take the Purple Line to Howard and transfer to the Red Line, stopping at the 79th Station. From there, take the CTA #79 Ford City bus south to 79th and Western Terminal and then the 349 Pace bus south to Western Avenue and Oak Street. This route involves the least amount of walking between transfers, arriving directly in front of the clinic.

For those looking to avoid long commutes, there’s also vaccination options in Evanston. The city encourages residents to fill out interest surveys for booster shots or vaccinations for children aged 5 to 11 to get notified of upcoming vaccination events.

Many retail pharmacies in or near Evanston are offering walk-in booster shots and primary series vaccinations, including CVS, Jewel-Osco, Meijer and Walgreens.

According to Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical advisor to the president, a variant-specific COVID-19 shot is not needed. As of now, he said COVID-19 booster shots are effective against the Omicron variant.

To further slow the spread of COVID-19, the city asks residents to continue masking, social distancing and frequent hand-washing. In compliance with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this means wearing a mask in public indoor spaces and crowded outdoor settings.

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Twitter: @amittal27

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