March 28, 2024
Coronavirus

Illinois reports 2nd straight day of more than 100K vaccine doses as United Center mass vaccination site planned

IDPH reports 5.69% of Illinois residents have received both COVID-19 vaccine doses

The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 2,441 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 55 additional deaths Friday, and a total of 2,543,620 COVID-19 vaccines have been administered.

Illinois administered 102,670 coronavirus vaccine doses on Thursday, the second straight day that the state has administered more than 100,000 shots.

Also Friday, the state announced the United Center in Chicago would serve as a federally supported mass vaccination site that would open on March 10 and aim to administer 6,000 vaccine doses a day. First appointments to the United Center site will be available to those in Phase 1b and will prioritize seniors 65 and older.

“I hope you are feeling what I’m feeling, and it’s hope,” Gov. JB Pritzker said. “Things are getting better. Some day not too far from now, we’ll be at the United Center, not for a lifesaving shot but for a game-winning shot.”

The seven-day rolling average of Illinois’ positivity rate stayed flat at 2.5%. The state received the results of 92,256 COVID-19 tests in the 24 hours leading up to Friday afternoon.

Illinois has seen 1,183,667 total cases of the virus, and 20,460 people have died. The state has conducted a total of 17,988,085 tests since the start of the pandemic.

As of late Thursday, Illinois had 1,393 COVID-19 patients in the hospital, the fewest since July 31. Of those, 336 were in intensive care units, and 174 were on ventilators.

“Our COVID-19 metrics are near an all-time low,” Pritzker said.

Vaccine update: As of Friday, the IDPH reported that a total of 3,171,245 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been distributed statewide, with 2,543,620 vaccines administered.

As of the time this story was published, 725,464 Illinoisans have been fully vaccinated, or 5.69% of the population. Illinois has a population of 12,741,080 people.

There can be as much as a 72-hour delay in reporting from health care providers on vaccines administered.

In northern Illinois, here is the percentage of the population fully vaccinated by county:

Chicago: 5.45%

Suburban Cook: 5.47%

Lake: 4.11%

McHenry: 3.89%

DuPage: 5.81%

Kane: 3.7%

Will: 4.27%

Kendall: 4.58%

La Salle: 6.31%

Grundy: 4.12%

DeKalb: 3.96%

Ogle: 4.74%

Lee: 6.26%

Whiteside: 5.73%

Bureau: 5.65%

Regional update: Currently, all 11 of the state’s health regions are in Phase 4 of the state’s reopening plan.

Phase 5 in Illinois – when all sectors of the economy reopen with businesses, schools and recreation resuming normal operations with new safety guidance and procedures – comes when “either a vaccine is developed to prevent additional spread of COVID-19, a treatment option is readily available that ensures health care capacity is no longer a concern, or there are no new cases over a sustained period,” according to the state’s Restore Illinois plan.

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

The North Suburban region (McHenry and Lake counties) has seen 34 consecutive days below the 8% threshold for its COVID-19 test positivity rate. The region’s positivity rate decreased to 3.7%. Currently, 32% of ICU beds are available.

The region has never dropped below the 20% threshold for ICU bed availability since tracking began.

Within this region, McHenry County’s seven-day positivity rate average decreased to 4.8%. Lake County, which does about two-thirds of the testing in the region, is reporting a rolling average of 3.3%.

Hospitalizations have decreased 10 out of the past 10 days in this region.

The West Suburban region (DuPage and Kane counties) has seen 37 consecutive days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate decreased to 3.7%. Currently, 29% of ICU beds are available.

The region has been above the 20% threshold for ICU bed availability for 75 consecutive days.

Within this region, Kane County’s seven-day positivity average is at 3.9%, and DuPage County is at 3.6%.

Hospitalizations have decreased 10 out of the past 10 days in this region.

The South Suburban region (Will and Kankakee counties) has seen 39 consecutive days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate decreased to 4.2%. Currently, 28% of ICU beds are available.

The region has been above the 20% threshold for ICU bed availability for 57 consecutive days.

Hospitalizations have decreased or remained stable for 10 out of the past 10 days in this region.

The North region (Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside and Winnebago counties) has seen 42 consecutive days below the 8% positivity rate. The region’s positivity rate decreased to 2.4%. Currently, 25% of ICU beds are available.

The region has been above the 20% threshold for ICU bed availability for 74 consecutive days.

Within this region, DeKalb County’s positivity rate decreased to 2.3%, Lee County’s rate decreased to 0.6%, and Whiteside County’s rate stayed flat at 3.7%.

Hospitalizations have decreased eight out of the past 10 days in this region.

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 44 consecutive days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate decreased to 3.4%. Currently, 29% of ICU beds are available.

The region has been below the 20% threshold for ICU bed availability for 64 consecutive days.

Hospitalizations have decreased or remained stable nine out of the past 10 days in this region.

Within this region, La Salle County’s seven-day positivity rate increased to 3.8%.

Chicago has seen 35 consecutive days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate decreased to 2.9%. Currently, 28% of ICU beds are available.

The region has been above the 20% threshold for ICU bed availability for 75 consecutive days.

Hospitalizations have decreased 10 out of the past 10 days in this region.

Suburban Cook County has seen 38 consecutive days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate decreased to 3.7%. Currently, 26% of ICU beds are available.

The region has 56 consecutive days under the 20% threshold for ICU bed availability.

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:

• Champaign County: 1 male 90s

• Christian County: 1 male 70s

• Coles County: 1 female 80s

• Cook County: 2 females 40s, 3 males 40s, 1 female 50s, 1 male 50s, 2 females 60s, 4 males 60s, 3 females 70s, 3 males 70s, 1 female 80s, 4 males 80s, 2 females 90s, 1 male 90s

• Crawford County: 1 male 70s

• DuPage County: 1 male 50s

• Grundy County: 1 male 70s

• Kane County: 1 male 80s

• Kendall County: 1 female 90s

• Lake County: 1 male 70s

• La Salle County: 1 male 70s

• Livingston County: 1 male 70s

• Massac County: 1 female 80s

• McHenry County: 1 female 60s, 1 male 80s

• McLean County: 1 male 60s

• Mercer County: 1 female 80s

• Peoria County: 2 females 90s

• Sangamon County: 1 female 80s

• St. Clair County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s, 1 female 90s

• Vermilion County: 1 male 50s

• Warren County: 1 female 90s

• Will County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 90s

• Winnebago County: 1 male 70s, 1 male 90s

John Sahly

John Sahly

John Sahly is the digital editor for the Shaw Local News Network. He has been with Shaw Media since 2008, previously serving as the Northwest Herald's digital editor, and the Daily Chronicle sports editor and sports reporter.