While awaiting a ruling from the Food and Drug Administration about COVID-19 booster shots, Cook County health officials are begging the unvaccinated to get their first shot.

       In a news conference Monday morning, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and doctors from the Cook County health system announced an ad campaign to increase vaccination levels and warned of the dangers of contracting the virus.

       “While the discussion about boosters is a good one, we still have a lot to do to get everyone vaccinated,” said Dr. Gregory Huhn, an infectious disease physician at Stroger Hospital.

       Last week, an FDA advisory committee recommended boosters for those 65 and older and those with some preexisting conditions. The agency will decide in coming days whether to take up the recommendation and authorize the boosters.

       The agency has already allowed boosters for certain immunocompromised patients.

       But as the coming decision on boosters captures the public’s attention, Huhn said 1 in 3 suburban Cook County residents are still not vaccinated. He added that most of the hospitalizations and deaths from the virus are among the unvaccinated.

       “We need all of our residents who are eligible to step up and get vaccinated,” Preckwinkle said.

       Across Illinois, a little more than 20% of the state’s eligible population has not gotten a shot, according to data from the Illinois Department of Public Health.

       The county’s new ad campaign focuses on trust between patients and their physician as a means to persuade people to take their own doctor’s advice. Ads will run on network television, in print and online and on streaming services such as Hulu, officials said.

       County officials also announced a lottery that will award $1,000 to a randomly selected vaccinated person each week over the next 10 weeks. For entry, people can upload a photo of themselves being vaccinated at wgci.com/lifeisbetter.

       “The individual relationship we as physicians have with patients is so important to help people understand what they need to know to get vaccinated,” said Cook County Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Claudia Fegan.

       mabuckley@chicagotribune.com

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