Cook County ‘ramping up’ vaccinations, contact tracing faster than federal dose delivery, officials say  

Cook County public health officials have vaccinated more than 100,000 people in the past month and plan to significantly scale up operations as the pipeline of new vaccine widens, they told county commissioners Wednesday. 

The county has stood up an in-house vaccination system through a combination of mass vaccination sites and targeted distribution at jails and health centers, although some county workers and residents have complained of hiccups and delays. The system is on pace to expand after Thursday, when the county Board of Commissioners approves a measure (21-1547) allowing the county to recoup up to $75 million in additional funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to cover vaccination costs.