States, major cities will receive only half of COVID-19 vaccine from federal government

States and major cities across the country will now receive only about half of the COVID-19 vaccine doses that were originally expected to come from the federal government next week, Gov. JB Pritzker said in a press conference given Wednesday afternoon.

Federal authorities initially communicated that 8 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine would be distributed next week, but Pritzker said he learned this morning that members of the federal government's Operation Warp Speed had lowered that number to 4.3 million doses.

The following week's distribution has also been reduced from 8.8 million doses to 4.3 million.

"This development will likely cut our state's projected Pfizer shipments this month by roughly half. The same is true across the rest of the nation," Pritzker said, adding that he was "disappointed" to hear the news.

This change does not impact the vaccine doses that the state has already received, which it will continue distributing to regions throughout Illinois as planned, Pritzker said.

"I have urged from the beginning, patience," he said, acknowledging that federal authorities are trying their best to manage the complex logistics of distributing vaccine shipments responsibly.

Illinois Department of Public Health Director Ngozi Ezike could not confirm how many doses will now be sent to the state in the coming weeks as she said it is still subject to change.

The IDPH reported 7,123 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 146 additional deaths Wednesday.

The seven-day rolling average of Illinois’ positivity rate decreased to 8.5%. The state received the results of 93,278 COVID-19 tests in the 24 hours leading up to Wednesday afternoon.

Illinois has seen 870,600 cases of the virus, and 14,655 people have died. The state has conducted 12,055,288 tests since the start of the pandemic.

As of late Tuesday, Illinois had 4,793 COVID-19 patients in the hospital. Of those hospitalizations, 1,045 were in intensive care units, and 590 were on ventilators.

To see definitions of key terms used in our COVID-19 updates, read this article titled, “Feeling lost in keeping up with the news?”

Regional update: Currently, all 11 of the state's health regions are under additional mitigation measures from the IDPH, and as of Nov. 20, all 11 regions are under Tier 3 mitigations.

Regional data from the IDPH remains on a three-day lag.

Confused about the different tiers and phases of the governor’s COVID-19 response? Read this explanation of the Restore Illinois plan and its metrics.

The North Suburban region (McHenry and Lake counties) has seen four consecutive days under 12%. The region's positivity rate stayed the same at 11.2%. Currently, 21.7% of medical/surgical beds are available and 24.7% of ICU beds.

The region has 11 consecutive days over the 20% threshold for ICU bed availability, and 10 consecutive days over the 20% threshold for medical/surgical bed availability.

The Lake/McHenry region has a rolling, seven-day average of 288 COVID-19 patients in the hospital, and that number has decreased for eight consecutive days.

Within this region, McHenry County's seven-day positivity rate average increased to 12.6%, up from 11.8% reported Tuesday. Lake County, which does about two-thirds of the testing in the region, is reporting a rolling average of 10.7%.

Finally, within the Lake/McHenry region, there are 46 available, staffed ICU beds out of 192 total.

Region 9 is now meeting all of the state's requirements for a move back to Tier 2, which is less restrictive.

The West Suburban region (DuPage and Kane counties) has seen three consecutive days under 12%. The region's positivity rate decreased to 11%. Currently, 19.3% of medical/surgical beds are available and 26.5% of ICU beds.

The region has three consecutive days over the 20% threshold for ICU bed availability, and one day under the 20% threshold for medical/surgical bed availability.

The Kane/DuPage region has a rolling, seven-day average of 537 COVID-19 patients in the hospital. Hospitalizations have decreased 9 out of the past 10 days in this region.

Within this region, Kane County's seven-day positivity average is at 12.1%, and DuPage County is at 10.4%.

Finally, within the DuPage/Kane region, there are 67 available, staffed ICU beds out of 324 total.

The South Suburban region (Will and Kankakee counties) has seen zero consecutive days under 12%. The region's positivity rate decreased to 12.2%. Currently, 16.4% of medical/surgical beds are available and 17.9% of ICU beds.

The region has four consecutive days under the 20% threshold for ICU bed availability, and eight consecutive days under the 20% threshold for medical/surgical bed availability.

The Will/Kankakee region has a rolling, seven-day average of 262 COVID-19 patients in the hospital. Hospitalizations have decreased 10 out of the past 10 days in this region.

Finally, within the Will/Kankakee region, there are 28 available, staffed ICU beds out of 162 total.

The North region (Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside and Winnebago counties) has seen three consecutive days under the 12%. The region's positivity rate decreased to 10.6%. Currently, 26.1% of medical/surgical beds are available and 25% of ICU beds.

The region has three consecutive days above the 20% threshold for ICU bed availability, and 11 consecutive days above the 20% threshold for medical/surgical bed availability.

Region 1 has a rolling, seven-day average of 210 COVID-19 patients in the hospital. Hospitalizations have decreased 10 out of the past 10 days in this region.

Within this region, DeKalb County's positivity rate increased to 10.9%, Lee County's rate increased to 7.3%, and Whiteside County's rate decreased to 8.1%.

Finally, within this region, there are 44 available, staffed ICU beds out of 179 total.

Region 1 is now meeting all of the state's requirements for a move back to Tier 2, which is less restrictive.

The North-Central region (Bureau, Fulton, Grundy, Henderson, Henry, Kendall, Knox, La Salle, Livingston, Marshall, McDonough, McLean, Mercer, Peoria, Putnam, Rock Island, Stark, Tazewell, Warren and Woodford counties) has seen four consecutive days under 12%. The region's positivity rate decreased to 10%. Currently, 24.5% of medical/surgical beds are available and 20.4% of ICU beds.

The region has one day above the 20% threshold for ICU bed availability, and 11 consecutive days above the 20% threshold for medical/surgical bed availability.

Region 2 has a rolling, seven-day average of 446 COVID-19 patients in the hospital. Hospitalizations have decreased 5 out of the past 10 days in this region.

Within this region, La Salle County's seven-day positivity rate dropped to 7.5%.

Finally, within this region, there are 46 available, staffed ICU beds out of 235.

Chicago has seen zero consecutive days under 12%. The region's positivity rate decreased to 12%. Currently, 17.9% of medical/surgical beds are available and 22.1% of ICU beds.

The region has three consecutive days above the 20% threshold for ICU bed availability, and eight consecutive days under the 20% threshold for medical/surgical bed availability.

Chicago has a rolling, seven-day average of 1,117 COVID-19 patients in the hospital. Hospitalizations have decreased 9 out of the past 10 days in this region.

Suburban Cook County has seen zero consecutive days under 12%. The region's positivity rate decreased to 12.2%. Currently, 19.3% of medical/surgical beds are available and 17.2% of ICU beds.

The region has 11 consecutive days under the 20% threshold for ICU bed availability, and one day under the 20% threshold for medical/surgical bed availability.

Suburban Cook County has a rolling, seven-day average of 1,348 COVID-19 patients in the hospital. Hospitalizations have decreased 10 out of the past 10 days in this region.

To see how other regions across the state are doing, see the full IDPH dashboard here.

Newly reported deaths include:

- Adams County: 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s

- Christian County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 80s

- Clay County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 100+

- Cook County: 1 female 40s, 1 male 40s, 3 males 50s, 3 females 60s, 3 males 60s, 9 females 70s, 3 males 70s, 8 females 80s, 3 males 80s, 1 female 90s, 2 males 90s, 1 female 100+

- DeKalb County: 1 female 50s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s

- DuPage County: 1 female 60s, 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s

- Effingham County: 1 male 90s

- Fayette County: 1 female 80s

- Fulton County: 1 female 90s

- Grundy County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 90s

- Iroquois County: 1 female 90s

- Jackson County: 1 female 60s, 1 male 70s, 1 female 90s

- Jefferson County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 80s

- Jersey County: 1 female 80s

- Kane County: 1 male 50s, 1 female 70s, 2 males 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 90s

- Kankakee County: 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 male 90s

- Knox County: 1 female 50s, 1 female 60s

- Lake County: 1 male 60s

- LaSalle County: 1 female 80s

- Livingston County: 1 female 90s

- Macon County: 1 male 70s

- Macoupin County: 1 female 90s

- Madison County: 1 female 60s, 2 females 70s, 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 2 males 80s

- Marion County: 2 males 70s

- Massac County: 1 female 60s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s

- McDonough County: 1 female 70s

- McHenry County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 90s

- McLean County: 1male 70s

- Menard County: 1 male 90s

- Mercer County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s

- Monroe County: 1 male 70s

- Montgomery County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s

- Ogle County: 1 male 80s

- Peoria County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 70s

- Perry County: 1 female 60s, 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s

- Piatt County: 1 female 70s

- Randolph County: 1 male 90s

- Richland County: 1 female 50s, 1 male 80s

- Rock Island County: 2 females 80s, 1 male 80s

- Sangamon County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s, 2 males 90s

- St. Clair County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s

- Stark County: 1 female 80s

- Stephenson County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 90s

- Tazewell County: 1 female 80s

- Vermilion County: 1 female 80s

- Washington County: 2 females 90s

- Will County: 1 female 50s, 2 males 70s, 1 female 80s, 1 female 90s

- Williamson County: 1 male 70s

- Winnebago County: 1 male 50s, 1 female 60s, 2 males 80s