Why is 16% of the population excluded?
The Chicago Republican Party called on Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot today to make the Covid-19 vaccine to all Chicago residents. This demand follows Governor Pritzker's decision to allow local health departments to expand eligibility to everyone, and President Biden's decision to compel states to open vaccines to all by April 19.
84% of Chicagoans are now eligible to receive the vaccine, which means that 16% are excluded. The eligibles include those who work in a long, and nonsensical, list of favored industries. Lawyers and people in finance are eligible without regard to whether they interact with the public. A 25-year-old working for a bank can get the vaccine, but a 64-year-old unemployed laborer cannot.
Lightfoot has also created a vaccine site that is for the exclusive use of union members.
"It's sick that Lori Lightfoot would give away vaccine eligibility to favored groups for political reasons," said Steve Boulton, chairman of the Chicago GOP. "Enough is enough. Open it up."
