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* Press release…
In light of a steadily increasing federal vaccine supply, Illinois plans to expand Phase 1B eligibility on Feb. 25 to people with comorbidities and underlying conditions as defined by the CDC. In addition, Illinois will also prioritize people with disabilities.
Since taking office, the Biden administration has increased vaccine supply by nearly 30%, including a 5% increase this week. Among the other major efforts to increase supply:
* The White House is launching a new community health center vaccination program to direct additional vaccines to places across the country that serve hardest-hit populations, and which will escalate over the coming weeks.
* FDA to meet to review Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine candidate, a single-dose vaccine that does not require extreme cold storage and provided 100% protection against hospitalization and death in its trial clinic, Feb.26, and the company said it was on track to deliver 100 million doses to the United States by the end of June.“As soon as we get enough vaccines, we must not waste time protecting a larger part of our most vulnerable population,” Governor JB Pritzker said. “Those who are under 65 and live with co-morbidities, such as cancer survivors or those living with heart disease, have a high risk of serious complications or death if they contract COVID-19. Illinois is progressing under CDC guidelines to expand its eligible population when supply permits, bringing us closer to when the vaccine is widely available to all who want it. In the meantime, I encourage all Illinois to wear our masks and follow the mitigation measures so that more of our neighbors are healthy and alive when it is their turn in the immunization line.
The Pritzker administration will begin working with local health departments and other providers across the state to include these additional high-risk people in their community immunization plans in the coming weeks. Health departments that have substantially completed their existing Phase 1B population before the state’s Feb. 25 expansion date will be able to advance earlier to the decision of local public health officials and the IDPH.
This extension applies to persons 16 years of age and over who are not otherwise covered in the previous eligibility categories.
In accordance with CDC guidelines, Illinois uses the terms of reference below for what qualifies as a high-risk medical condition once Phase 1B develops on February 25.
This list is subject to change as the guidelines evolve and does not reflect an order of priority:
Cancer
Chronic kidney disease
COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
Diabetes
Cardiac problem
Immunocompromised condition following a solid organ transplant
Obesity
Pregnancy
Pulmonary Disease
Sickle cell anemiaTo date, the state of Illinois has used more than 78% of its available vaccine (not including the federal long-term care immunization program and the City of Chicago separate supply). The three immunization efforts have together provided about 1.5 million vaccines, including 1.15 million first doses, to date.
The current rolling seven-day case positivity rate in the state of Illinois is 3.3% as of February 10 – the lowest rate since July 2020.
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* SGOP chief Dan McConchie…
“I am happy to learn that the sickest of us and those most at risk of dying from COVID-19, regardless of their age, will soon have access to the vaccine,” said the Republican Senate leader of the Illinois, Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods). “While the state should have provided a method early on for those whose doctors have insisted that their patient’s life or health depends on vaccination, as has been the case in other states, there is now a light at the end of a very long tunnel for those who need it most.
“I hope Governor Pritzker will create a more open dialogue with the legislature to take advantage of this improvement, to increase the efficiency of vaccine distribution and to ensure that the state is fair and equitable for all in need.
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