Associated Press
Many Tri-County area public safety personnel are among the first wave of people getting their COVID-19 vaccinations.
Phase 1 priority groups in the Restore Illinois coronavirus vaccine distribution plan include frontline health care workers with EMT licenses. Peoria Fire Department Battalion Chief for EMS Roland Tenley said all of the department’s 165 firefighters and paramedics qualify in phase 1A.
“We’ve gotten through our first batch of firefighters and paramedics that were interested in the vaccine, and this week we re actually going through our second dosages that became available,” said Tenley. “We had just short of 57% of our staff request the COVID vaccine, and 77% of those have received it so far.”
Joe Deacon / WCBU
Three more Peoria County residents of long-term care facilities have succumbed to COVID-19, with Tri-County health officials reporting Tuesday an increase of 276 coronavirus infections in the past day.
The region added 113 active COVID cases since Monday. While Peoria-area hospitals reported 108 coronavirus patients – down 23 from the day before – the number of residents in home isolation climbed to 2,833.
The three latest victims were a man in his 70s from Sharon Willows, and two women in their 80s – one from Sharon Elms and one from Manor Court. Their deaths bring the Tri-County area’s total fatalities to 428, with 151 in just over one month (277 on Dec. 4). The region’s case count stands at 27,527.
Village of Morton issues boil order, effective immediately
MORTON, Ill. The Village of Morton issued a city-wide boil order, effective immediately, on Jan. 2, 2021, according to the Tazewell County Health Department.
A temporary loss of power at the Water Plant caused a temporary drop in water pressure within the Village of Morton.
Village of Morton customers are advised to use bottled water. They are instructed not to use water from appliances, ice makers or filtered water.
Village of Morton residents are to bring tap water to a rapid boil for one minute before using it for consumption, per the CDC. );