COVID-19 Vaccine

Illinois has administered more than 493,000 bivalent COVID-19 boosters in less than a month, daily vaccination rates are are their highest since February, and the state has fewer than 900 COVID-19 patients in the hospital for the first time since May 11.

Pfizer asked U.S. regulators Monday to expand use of its updated COVID-19 booster shot to children ages 5 to 11. If the Food and Drug Administration agrees, they would start getting a kid-sized dose of the new omicron-targeted formula when it is time for their booster.

For the first time since May 15, Illinois has fewer than 1,000 COVID-19 patients in the hospital, according to new data from the Illinois Department of Public Health

Illinois is down to 3 counties at "high" risk for COVID-19; another 135,000 people have received the bivalent vaccine, and the state has the fewest COVID-19 patients in the hospital since June 19, according to new data from the Illinois Department of Public Health

The average number of new COVID-19 hospitalizations in Illinois has reached its lowest point in almost three months, according to new data from the Illinois Department of Public Health

IDPH announced Friday that 20 counties in the state are considered “high” risk for COVID-19, a decrease of eight counties from a week ago. Additionally, IDPH reported Friday about 188,800 residents have already received the bivalent COVID-19 booster vaccine.

With a new bivalent booster becoming widely available, Illinois is now averaging 16,165 COVID-19 vaccinations a day, the highest average since May.

The Illinois Department of Public Health announced Friday that 28 counties in the state are considered “high” risk for COVID-19, a decrease of two counties from a week ago. An additional 40 counties are at the “medium” risk level, a decrease of 20 from last week.

The reformulated COVID-19 vaccines produced by Moderna and Pfizer are now available at McHenry County Department of Health vaccine clinics, the agency said this week.

As of late Monday, Illinois had 1,234 COVID-19 patients in the hospital. Of those, 125 were in intensive care units, and 38 were on ventilators.

The Illinois Department of Public Health announced Friday that 30 counties in the state are considered “high” risk for COVID-19, a decrease of three counties from a week ago. An additional 60 counties are at the “medium” risk level, an increase of 12 from last week.

Illinois is set to receive 580,000 doses of a new updated COVID-19 booster after two variations of the shot were approved Wednesday, according to the state health department. As a result, some pharmacy chains are requiring customers to reschedule booster appointments.

Those who haven’t yet received three rounds of free COVID-19 tests from the federal government have until Friday to do so, according to the federal government.

As of late Sunday, Illinois had 1,331 COVID-19 patients in the hospital. Of those, 146 were in intensive care units, and 50 were on ventilators.

The Illinois Department of Public Health announced Friday that 33 counties in the state are considered “high” risk for COVID-19, a decrease of nine counties from a week ago. An additional 48 counties are at the “medium” risk level, an increase of nine from last week.