Journal Star
Tazewell County has a higher COVID-19 death rate per capita than Peoria County and the state of Illinois.
Why? Health experts and public officials have no definitive answer. But they offer ideas that point to possible factors.
As of Friday, Tazewell County had 1.61 deaths related to COVID-19 per 1,000 residents. That figure is 1.29 for Peoria County, which is lower than the state s overall 1.47. Woodford County sits at 1.53 per 1,000 residents.
What might cause Tazewell County s higher rate? Sarah Sparkman, spokesperson for the Tazewell County Health Department, said, I do not have the answer to that question.
Nor does Monica Hendrickson, administrator for the Peoria City/County Health Department.
During the 16 weeks she’s been pregnant, Tara Larson has closely followed information about COVID-19.
She knows pregnant women are more likely to get severely ill should they get the virus; she knows pregnant women were excluded from vaccine trials, so data is limited.
With a police officer husband who interacts with the public daily and months to go in her pregnancy, the 40-year-old Lemont mom is ready to get a vaccine.
“I’m anxious to go ahead and get the vaccine as soon as possible,” said Larson, who hopes to receive one before her July due date.
But she might not be able to anytime soon.