Cook County is encouraging families to get their COVID-19 vaccines on Saturday, May 8 in honor of Mother’s Day.

“This year, Mother’s Day is not about flowers or jewelry or candy, it is about next Mother’s Day. It is about doing all we can to ensure that our families can be together safely and protected against COVID-19,” said Toni Preckwinkle, Cook County Board President. “This year, all your mom wants for Mother’s Day is for you to get your vaccine.”

Approximately half of all eligible residents of Cook County have received at least one vaccine dose. Cook County Health has administered more than 700,000 vaccine doses.

“We still have a lot of work ahead of us. We know that getting to the next half of eligible residents will be an uphill climb,” said Israel Rocha, Cook County Health CEO. “Now we have to change hearts and minds to encourage those who remain unvaccinated to get their shot, and no one can appeal to our hearts and minds quite like our moms and grandmas.”

Dr. Rachel Rubin, Cook County Department of Public Health Senior Public Health Medical Officer and Co-Lead, lost her parents to COVID-19 last year. “Losing your parents to COVID when your day job is to control the spread of the disease is hard,” she said. “Use Mother’s Day this year to get yourself and your loved ones vaccinated. We finally have enough vaccine to go around and need to encourage those who have not gotten vaccinated to do so. We do not need to lose more people to COVID.”

Individuals age 19-24 have the highest number of COVID-19 infections per 100,000 in the country, according to the CDC.  The Mother’s Day vaccination campaign is one of many strategies Cook County Health is employing to reach this priority demographic. 

“Some people don’t know how important the vaccine is,” said Retha Williams, a longtime Cook County Health patient whose young adult grandchildren have not been vaccinated. “I try to tell them, but it goes in one ear and out the other. They think they won’t get sick from COVID, but it can happen to anyone. I don’t want to worry about my loved ones getting sick.”

For Mother’s Day weekend, Cook County Health is partnering with the Chicago Federation of Musicians to put musicians back to work. Four of the mass vaccination sites (Matteson, Des Plains, Tinley Park and Forest Park) will have live entertainment on Saturday from 11:00AM-2:30PM.

“We are proud to partner with Cook County Health to bring music to vaccination sites across the metropolitan area. Our program, Music Helping All Recover Together was designed to help the community recover by bringing the joy of live, professional music back into peoples’ lives. Please get vaccinated. We look forward to seeing our audiences back in their seats,” said Chicago Federation of Musician Secretary-Treasurer BJ Levy.

Walk-ins are welcome at all CCH mass vaccination sites. Families are encouraged to come in to get vaccinated together. Individuals can still make appointments at vaccine.cookcountyil.gov or by calling 833-308-1988, Monday – Friday from 7AM – 10PM and Saturday from 8AM – 10PM.  Visit myshotcookcounty.com/locations.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Alexandra Normington, Associate Chief Communications & Marketing Officer
[email protected]
312-519-2769