We’ve all got questions about the new vaccines being offered to bring the COVID-19 pandemic under control. Find out what you need to know at a virtual town hall hosted by Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot.

The online event will be at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 17. There will be full explanations about vaccine safety and how the vaccine will be distributed in Chicago. Representatives from the Chicago Dept. of Public Health will be on hand to provide the latest information and will be available to answer any questions. During the meeting, viewers will have a chance to post questions in the chat area. Viewers can send questions in advance to [email protected].

The town hall will be live-streamed on Mayor Lightfoot’s mayoral Facebook account. Registration is not required to attend, and you don’t need a Facebook account to participate.

Closed captioning will be provided, and ASL interpreters will be on screen. Simultaneous translation into Spanish and other languages also will be available.

Many Americans have been skeptical about getting a COVID-19 vaccine, but the number of people willing to get inoculated is growing. A November Gallup Poll showed that 58% of Americans are willing to take the two-shot vaccine, up from 50% in September. But Black and Hispanic Americans still remain skeptical: Only 48% of non-white adults say they’re willing to take it, even as that rose from 40% in September.

Vaccinations are first being given to health care professionals and older adults living in long-term-care facilities. It is estimated that all those 16 and older will be able to be vaccinated later in 2021.

For more information on COVID-19 in Chicago, the vaccines available, the city’s latest updates on COVID numbers, and answers to many basic questions, visit the city of Chicago’s official COVID page at this link.