Shortly before Kanye West hosted his Donda listening event in Chicago, organizers confirmed attendees would not be required to show proof of vaccinations or negative test results. However, the venue said it had secured over a thousand doses of the Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer vaccines for those who wished to receive a shot at the event.
“Soldier Field and the Chicago Department of Public Health are pleased to be working together to offer 1,500-plus vaccinations for those not yet vaccinated (Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson) and assist with setting up their second dose at a later date,” a representative for Solider Field stadium told Rolling Stone. “This will be available at Gate 8 on the SE corner of the stadium.”
So, how many people took advantage of the on-site vaccinations? A whopping 13 out of a reported 38,000 attendees.
Illinois Department of Public Health confirmed the number to TMZ on Friday, just a day after Kanye hosted the event, which included guest appearances by embattled artists DaBaby and Marilyn Manson.
According to the IDPH, nearly 14 million vaccine doses have been administered in Illinois; 78 percent of the state’s adult population has received at least one dose, and more than 61 percent are fully vaccinated. On Thursday, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced he was tightening COVID-19 restrictions with a statewide indoor mask mandate for everyone over the age of two. He also ordered all educators to either get vaccinated or be subjected to weekly COVID testing. He implemented the changes as his state is experiencing a surge in hospitalizations tied to the Delta variant.
“The quick spread of this disease in Illinois and across the country is holding us all back from the post-pandemic life we so desperately want to embrace, and it’s harming the most vulnerable among us,” the Democratic governor said in a press release. “We are running out of time as our hospitals run out of beds. Vaccination remains our strongest tool to protect ourselves and our loved ones, to restore post-pandemic life to our communities, and most crucially, to maintain our healthcare system’s ability to care for anyone who walks through their doors in need of help – and Illinois is taking action to keep our communities safe.”
Fans who attended Kanye’s Aug. 4 listening event at Mercedes-Benz Stadium also had the chance to receive a vaccine. Billboard reports about 40,000 showed up for the festivities, but only four got the injection at the venue.
