CHICAGO (WLS) Illinois health officials reported 3,751 new COVID-19 cases and 81 deaths Wednesday.
The total number of cases in Illinois now stands at 1,112,181, with a total of 18,964 deaths, since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 80,124 specimens for a total of 15,633,443.
The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from Jan. 20-26 is 5.6%.
The test positivity rate is a metric the state began providing in late October. It is calculated by using the total number of positive tests over the total number of tests. This is the metric being used to by state health officials to make decisions about mitigations.
Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times
A total of 53,628 Illinoisans received coronavirus vaccine shots Tuesday, a new record for the state as doses slowly make their way into arms during a sluggish nationwide rollout.
In six weeks since the first Illinois shot was given, almost 774,000 doses have been administered and only about 160,000 people have received the required two doses not even 1.3% of the population.
But with 3.2 million more residents now eligible to start receiving shots this week with Phase 1B of the state’s distribution plan, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Wednesday he expects those numbers to expand.
“We’re moving as fast as we can. The number of vaccinations available to people is ramping up. I’m very pleased to see that,” Pritzker said at a new mass vaccination site in north suburban Grayslake. “But this is going to take time. People are going to have to be patient.”
Pritzker says earlier federal notice on COVID-19 vaccine deliveries should make it easier for providers to schedule appointments chicagotribune.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from chicagotribune.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
COVID-19 vaccine: Lake County Fairgrounds converted to drive-in vaccination site
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GRAYSLAKE, Ill. (WLS) The line seems long, but Lake County officials say it s organized so no one has to wait very long before getting inside the event center at the Lake County Fairgrounds.
The county s first mass vaccination site is now waiting on the vaccine. They have set up in the 65,000-square-foot site because it allows them to vaccinate as many people as quickly and efficiently as possible. If we can keep people in their cars, drive in, drive out. Keep our vaccinators safe and warm, that s really our intent, said Mark Pfister, Executive Director of the Lake County Health Department.