Pritzker: Illinois to continue focusing on COVID-19 vaccinations

CHICAGO (WREX) �� As the state continues to vaccinate people for the coronavirus, Governor JB Pritzker said that focus won’t change.

Speaking Friday in Chicago, the governor announced the state hit record numbers of vaccinations for three straight days, with 10,000 more yesterday than the day before.

Over 60% of vaccines distributed by the state have been reported administered. Another 10% have likely been administered & not reported yet.

Gov. Pritzker also said starting Monday, Jan. 25, the state will start accepting appointments for those in Phase 1B of the vaccination plan.

Phase 1B will include frontline essential workers and residents age 65 and over. The frontline essential workers designation includes many residents who carry a higher risk of COVID-19 exposure because of their work duties, often because they are unable to work from home, and/or they must work closely to others without being able to socially distance.

This include first responders, education, food and agriculture, manufacturing, corrections workers and inmates, USPS workers, public transit workers, grocery store workers and staff at shelters and day cares.

The governor says the National Guard-led sites, Walgreens, CVS and Jewel-Osco, with limited vaccine from the feds, will begin vaccinating Phase 1B residents statewide.

Gov. Pritzker said appointments will be hard to come by due to the limited number of available vaccines.

There’s 3.2 million people in Phase 1B in Illinois, according to Gov. Pritzker.

As of last night, 922,325 doses of vaccine have been delivered to providers in Illinois, including Chicago.

In addition, approximately 524,050 doses have been allocated to the federal government’s Pharmacy Partnership Program for long-term care facilities.

This brings the total Illinois doses to 1,446,375. IDPH is currently reporting a total of 616,677 vaccines administered, including 93,683 for long-term care facilities. Yesterday, a total of 44,288 doses were administered. The 7-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 24,190 doses.