Looking back at the past week of COVID-19 statistics in southwest IL counties
Belleville News-Democrat 2 hrs ago Garen Vartanian, Belleville News-Democrat
May 15 COVID-19 summary for May 8-14
According to data released by the state health department Friday, the metro-east has now fully vaccinated 225,771 people out of the estimated 660,225 who live in the region.
In addition, 461,334 doses of the vaccine have been administered throughout the seven counties. That represents an increase of 7,352 full vaccinations since the BND last reported data May 7 and an increase of at least one dose of the vaccine to 11,027 people in the region.
Meanwhile, Madison and St. Clair counties have combined to administer 368,927 vaccine doses and fully vaccinated 179,905 against the coronavirus. Together, in the past week, the two counties administered at least one dose of the vaccine to 8,812 people and fully vaccinated 5,605 individuals.
WBGZ Radio 5/14/2021 |
By Doug Jenkins - WBGZ Radio
Madison County is now offering the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to kids as young as 12 years old. The change comes following Monday’s approval by the FDA to expand the availability. There are several vaccination clinics coming up in the county over the next week.
Madison County Health Department spokesperson Amy Yeager tells The Big Z the first chance for kids to get vaccinated was Thursday, and it has already proved to be a popular option.
Click here for Yeager s comments
12 through 17-year-olds must be accompanied to their appointment by a parent. Minors do not need an ID or birth certificate, but the parent or guardian will be asked to show their ID. You can see a calendar of vaccination clinics below.
Masks not needed by those fully vaccinated
Ron DeBrock, ronald.debrock@thetelegraph.com
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In this Sept. 21, 2020 file photo, Gov. J.B. Pritzker appears at a news conference in Springfield wearing a mask. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday eased mask-wearing guidance for fully vaccinatged people, allowing them to stop wearing masks outdoors in crowds and in most indoor settings.
WOOD RIVER The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has eased mask-wearing guidance for fully vaccinated people, allowing them to stop wearing masks outdoors in crowds and in most indoor settings.
“Today is a great day for America,” President Joe Biden said Thursday during a Rose Garden address heralding the new guidance, an event where he and his staff went without masks. Hours earlier in the Oval Office, where Biden was meeting with vaccinated Republican lawmakers, he led the group in removing their masks when the guidance was announced.
All Illinois enters virus Bridge Phase
Ron DeBrock, ronald.debrock@thetelegraph.com
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WOOD RIVER Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) on Thursday confirmed the entire state will move into the Bridge Phase of the Restore Illinois reopening plan on Friday, May 14.
The Bridge Phase is the final step before the full reopening of Phase 5. The Bridge Phase, there are expanded capacity limits for businesses, dining, offices, events, conferences and gatherings. Restaurants, for example, will be allowed to increase from 25 to 30 percent of capacity, as long as people maintain six feet of distance from one another. Offices, personal care facilities and retail service counters can increase from 50 to 60 percent of capacity.
The Madison County Health Department is working with school districts within Madison County to hold a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine clinic.
That follows the approval from the Food and Drug Administration expanding the use of the Pfizer vaccine to include adolescents ages 12 to 15 years old.
The Health Department will be holding a clinic for students ages 12 to 18, and their parents, on Tuesday, May 18 from 9:00AM to 5:00PM on the SUNY Morrisville campus.
Parents who would like their child to be vaccinated are asked to use this link: bit.ly/051821Pfizer to register or call the Madison County COVID-19 Hotline phone number at 315-366-2770.