Mr. Michael Collins:

The vaccination effort in Illinois has reached a phase where vaccines are being brought into the neighbourhoods it is believed need them most. We in Irish Community Services predominantly serve the Irish community but we also serve a wide array of other immigrant communities. Our centre was used as a vaccination centre earlier this month and it will be used as one again this Friday. We have been in close contact with the Illinois Department of Public Health.

As regards access to vaccines, at least in Illinois, one does not need insurance, immigration status or even an identification document. A person can walk into any clinic and get access to a vaccine. That is working well in the context of the community centres that have been hosting such clinics. Unfortunately, we are at a stage where many people who wish to get the vaccine have received it, so there is a larger push to try to convince people who have not been vaccinated to take that step and get vaccinated. It is open to undocumented people and regardless of whether one has identification or insurance. In Illinois at least, the vaccine is widely available.