Central Station to serve up vaccine clinic on Thursday, Feb. 3

Central Station Coffee and Tea has plenty of menu options, but for one day only, it will add one more:

A COVID-19 vaccine.

The first-year coffee shop in downtown Wilmette is partnering with the Cook County Department of Public Health for a mobile vaccine clinic from 3:30-5 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 3. 

No pre-signup is required, and the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines — first, second or booster doses — will be available while they last.

“Since we are a central gathering place for the community at large, it seemed like a perfit fit,” Central Station owner Katie Degen said. 

While surfing the health department’s website, Degen stumbled upon the county’s mobile-clinic program. She reviewed the criteria, which includes the need for ample space, and requested an event. 

Since opening in May 2021, Central Station has hosted a visit from Santa Claus, a book signing, a new-resident meet and greet, and a rotating local-art gallery, as well as an assortment of coffees, teas and pastries.

“I’m psyched,” Degen said. “I feel like we’re the community spot, so it makes sense.”

According to county data, 62 percent of the health department’s coverage area — which is suburban Cook County outside of Evanston, Skokie and Stickney, all of which have local health departments — is vaccinated

More locally, that number is higher in Wilmette (76.7% fully vaccinated), Winnetka (73.2%) and Glencoe (77.3%). In all three communities, more than 90 percent of eligible individuals have received at least one dose, county data shows. 

The Center for Disease Control recommends all individuals age 5 or older receive a COVID-19 vaccine and also recommends everyone age 16 or older receive a booster dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine six months after their second vaccine shot. 

According to the CDC, though not 100 percent effective, COVID-19 vaccines protect against infections and serious illness from the disease and its variants, such as Delta and Omicron — the catalysts for the recent winter surge of COVID-19.

The CDC regularly publishes updated studies on the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines.

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