More than 50% of Illinois residents 16 and older have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose

The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 2,765 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 28 additional deaths Wednesday, and a total of 8,342,542 COVID-19 vaccines have been administered.

The state reported administering 140,712 vaccines on Tuesday, plus shots administered Monday by Walgreens, as that data was not included in the previous day’s total because of a technical malfunction.

The seven-day rolling average of Illinois’ positivity rate stayed flat at 3.8%. The state received the results of 81,133 COVID-19 tests in the 24 hours leading up to Wednesday afternoon.

Illinois has seen 1,309,552 total cases of the virus, and 21,722 people have died. The state has conducted a total of 21,920,359 tests since the start of the pandemic.

As of late Tuesday, Illinois had 2,191 COVID-19 patients in the hospital. Of those, 521 were in intensive care units, and 237 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?”

Vaccine update: As of Wednesday, IDPH reported a total of 10,358,875 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been distributed statewide, with 8,342,542 vaccines administered.

As of the time this story was published, 3,498,473 of the population of Illinois have been fully vaccinated, or 27.46%. Illinois has a population of 12,741,080 people.

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

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

Chicago: 25.75%

Suburban Cook: 28.31%

Lake: 24.48%

McHenry: 23.82%

DuPage: 30.21%

Kane: 24.18%

Will: 24.14%

Kendall: 25.01%

La Salle: 22.49%

Grundy: 25.40%

DeKalb: 21.61%

Ogle: 24.19%

Lee: 25.68%

Whiteside: 24.44%

Bureau: 24.37%

Bridge update: According to Gov. JB Pritzker’s plan announced March 18, the state needs 70% of Illinois residents ages 65 and older to have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine before it can advance to the state’s “bridge plan” that will open up capacity limits on all businesses. The state’s bridge plan remains on pause because of a continued rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations and cases.

As of Wednesday, 77.36% of those 65 and older had received one dose of the vaccine, according to the state’s dashboard.

Also, according to the state’s dashboard, 50.42% of Illinois residents 16 and older have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

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

For regions experiencing a resurgence of COVID-19, Tier 1 mitigations may be applied in either of these two scenarios:

• If a region’s test positivity rate is greater than or equal to 8% for three consecutive days (measured with the 7-day rolling average).

• If a region experiences both a sustained increase in test positivity rate (measured with the 7-day rolling average for 7 of 10 days) and hospital capacity is threatened, which is measured by either:

A. A sustained increase in the number of COVID-19 patients in the hospital (measured with the 7-day average for 7 of 10 days), or

B. Staffed ICU bed availability falls below 20% for three consecutive days (measured with the 7-day rolling average).

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 how a region can advance through the tiers and into Phase 4 here.

The North Suburban region (McHenry and Lake counties) has seen 88 consecutive days below 8% for its COVID-19 test positivity rate. The region’s positivity rate decreased to 4.2%. Currently, 34% 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 7.8%. Lake County, which does about two-thirds of the testing in the region, is reporting a rolling average of 3.2%.

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

The West Suburban region (DuPage and Kane counties) has seen 91 consecutive days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate decreased to 6.1%. Currently, 22% of ICU beds are available.

Within this region, Kane County’s seven-day positivity average increased to 7.6%, and DuPage County’s decreased to 5.4%.

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

The South Suburban region (Will and Kankakee counties) has seen 93 consecutive days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate increased to 6.0%. Currently, 23% of ICU beds are available.

Hospitalizations have increased nine 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 maintained a positivity rate below 8% for 95 days. The region’s positivity rate stayed flat at 6.8%.

Currently, 15% of ICU beds are available. Tuesday is the eighth straight day this region is under 20% ICU capacity.

Within this region, DeKalb County’s positivity rate decreased to 6.8%, Lee County’s rate stayed flat at 1.8%, and Whiteside County’s decreased to 7.0%.

Hospitalizations have increased 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 97 days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate stayed flat at 6.9%.

Currently, only 17% of ICU beds are available. Wednesday marked the 13th consecutive day the region was under 20%.

Hospitalizations have increased for 10 out of the past 10 days.

Within this region, La Salle County’s seven-day positivity rate increased to 5.7%.

Chicago has seen 91 consecutive days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate stayed flat at 5.4%.

Currently, 21% of ICU beds are available.

Suburban Cook County has seen 91 days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate went down to 5.3%.

Currently, 19% of ICU beds are available. Wednesday marked the ninth straight day the region was under 20% ICU capacity. Hospitalizations have increased 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 female 100+

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

• DuPage County: 1 male 70s

• Greene County: 1 female 70s

• Kankakee County: 1 male 30s, 1 female 60s, 1 male 80s

• McDonough County: 1 male 70s

• McLean County: 1 female 60s, 1 female 70s

• Peoria County: 1 male 70s

• Rock Island: 1 male 70s, 1 female 90s

• Tazewell County: 1 male 60s, 1 female 70s

• Wayne County: 1 male 90s

• Whiteside County: 1 male 50s

• Will County: 1 female 50s, 1 male 90s

• Winnebago County: 1 male 60s

• Woodford County: 1 female 60s