Greater Chicago brings back mass vaccination sites amid renewed demand

Greater Chicago is bringing previously closed mass vaccination sites back online to meet renewed demand during the omicron surge.

It was reopening day at a greater Chicago mass vaccination site Tuesday, as local health officials bring previously closed locations back online to meet renewed demand during the omicron surge.

Cook County closed the last of its six suburban mass vaccination sites six months ago due to declining demand and as vaccine administrations shifted more to pharmacies and doctors' offices. But with renewed interest in recent weeks, county officials have been encouraged to reopen several of the sites operated by Cook County Health.

"With the surge in omicron, we've actually seen an increase in interest in, particularly, boosters," Dr. Gregory Huhn, Cook County Health’s vaccine coordinator and an infectious disease physician, told ABC News. "We believed that we would need this type of opportunity again to really meet that demand, as people recognize the importance of vaccination in combating against omicron."

About 80% of Cook County residents have received at least one vaccine dose, while 40% of those eligible have gotten their booster, Huhn said.