Illinois will advance to Phase 1b of its COVID-19 vaccination plan on Jan. 25, Gov. JB Pritzker announced Friday at a news conference.

Illinois retail pharmacies and the National Guard will play a role in bringing the next phase of vaccinations online.

Health care workers and long-term care residents are eligible under Phase 1a and were the first priority group to receive the vaccine. With several communities “on track to be substantially completed next week” for Phase 1a, according to the governor’s office, Phase 1b is on track for Jan. 25.

Phase 1b includes front-line workers, first responders, teachers, grocery store employees, postal workers, day care workers and other essential workers.

“Starting this coming Tuesday, I have ordered the Illinois National Guard to activate our new flexible mobile teams to assist local health departments by expanding their existing vaccination clinics,” Pritzker said.

The state also will launch a vaccination website before Jan. 25 with information about where and how to get vaccinated.

“Patience will be required in these first weeks of Phase 1b because vaccine supplies are just extremely limited,” Pritzker said.

As of Friday afternoon, the state has received 995,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines and has administered 447,348 doses. According to public health department data, 101,670 residents, 0.82% of the state’s population, are fully vaccinated, meaning they have received both doses of their vaccine.

All of this is against the backdrop of Friday’s confirmation that the Chicago has the state’s first confirmed COVID-19 case of the variant first seen in the United Kingdom. This variant, also called B.1.1.7., is more transmissible than other variants of the coronavirus, which means it can spread more easily.

“This news isn’t surprising and doesn’t change our guidance around COVID-19. We must double down on the recommended safety strategies we know help stop the spread of this virus,” said Dr. Allison Arwady, Chicago Department of Public Health commissioner. “In order to protect Chicago, please continue to wear a mask, practice social distancing, wash your hands often, do not have outside guests in your home and get vaccinated when it is your turn.”