Illinois reached a coronavirus pandemic milestone Sunday, administering over 4 million vaccines doses since beginning vaccinations.
Meanwhile, only one Chicago business was cited for not complying with coronavirus regulations amid St. Patrick's Day celebrations this weekend.
Here are the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic across Illinois today:
Only 1 Chicago Business Cited For COVID Regulations Amid St. Patrick's Day Celebrations
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Only one Chicago business was cited for not complying with coronavirus regulations amid St. Patrick's Day celebrations this weekend, officials said.
Chicago Business Affairs and Consumer Protection said they found a "high level of compliance" at bars and restaurants Saturday while people were partaking in St. Patrick's Day celebrations throughout the city.
BACP officials conducted 40 full investigations and observed 49 additional businesses, according to a release, citing just one establishment for violating COVID-19 regulations.
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Clutch Bar, located at 316-318 W. Erie St., was issued two citations for operating over capacity with 60 customers in a space allotted for 50 people, for allowing more than six people at a table and for having the tables closer than six feet apart, according to a release.
BACP noted that investigations and observations were held throughout the city, including in River North and Wrigleyville, on Saturday.
Read more here.
These Are the COVID Vaccination Sites Opening in the Chicago Area This Week
With more coronavirus vaccines arriving in the Chicago area, health departments announced new vaccination clinics will open this week.
Here's a list of the vaccination sites opening this week and the next:
- Shaumburg Convention Center vaccination event
- Northern Illinois University arena
- Aurora one-day vaccination site
- St. Rose Church in Wilmington
For more information on the sites and eligibility, click here.
Illinois Hits Pandemic Milestone Sunday, Administering Over 4M COVID Vaccines
Illinois reached a coronavirus pandemic milestone Sunday, administering over 4 million vaccines doses since beginning vaccinations.
In all, Illinois has administered 4,040,302 COVID-19 vaccine doses, including 354,414 to long-term care facilities. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, the state has received a total of 5,038,635 doses.
Over the last 24 hours, 96,332 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were administered, bringing the rolling seven-day average for daily vaccinations to 97,441, according to IDPH officials.
Read more here.
Coronavirus in Illinois: 1,484 New Cases, 19 Deaths, Over 96K Vaccinations Reported
Health officials in Illinois confirmed 1,484 new cases of coronavirus and 19 additional deaths on Sunday, with over 96,000 doses of the COVID vaccine administered to state residents in the last 24 hours.
According to figures from the Illinois Department of Public Health, the latest new confirmed and probable COVID cases reported over the last day brought the state’s total to 1,209,331 cases since the pandemic began last year.
The 19 new deaths brought the state to 20,943 fatalities related to the virus, according to health officials.
According to health officials, the seven-day positivity rate on all tests currently stands at 2.2%, while the positivity rate for individuals tested is at 2.6%, which are record low numbers since the pandemic began in Illinois.
Read more here.
COVID Vaccine Appointments at United Center Open to 4 Additional Chicago ZIP Codes
Four more Chicago ZIP codes can schedule COVID-19 vaccine appointments at the United Center vaccination site, city officials announced Saturday.
According to the mayor's office, the new ZIP codes are on Chicago's South and West Sides in an effort to increase vaccinations in neighborhood with a "high COVID-19 burden."
Here are the ZIP codes that can book COVID-19 vaccine appointments at the United Center:
- 60649
- 60608
- 60652
- 60620
- 60619
- 60624
- 60644
- 60651
- 60653
Since limiting vaccination appointments to select ZIP codes, 75% of appointments scheduled at the United Center have gone to Black, Latinx and Asian residents, according to officials.
Read more here.
Illinois, Chicago Say Biden's May 1 COVID Vaccine Deadline Depends on Supply
Both the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago on Friday said that President Joe Biden's deadline for all jurisdictions in the U.S. to make the COVID-19 vaccine available to all adults by May 1 is dependent on supply.
Biden made the announcement in a primetime address Thursday evening, saying he would direct all states to make all adults ages 18 and up eligible to receive the coronavirus vaccine by May 1.
In response, Gov. J.B. Pritzker - who has long assailed former President Donald Trump's response to the coronavirus pandemic and praised Biden's actions since taking office in January - said Friday that the state "has built the infrastructure to administer far more doses" than it's currently receiving.
A spokesman for the Chicago Department of Public Health - which receives vaccine shipments from the federal government allocated separately from the state - said that low supply is "the one thing holding us back from more fully vaccinating the city."
State to Increase Vaccine Doses at Nine Illinois Hospitals
Nine rural Illinois hospitals will receive additional COVID vaccine doses from the state as part of a new program aimed at expanding equitable distribution, according to officials.
The nine hospitals include:
- Taylorville Memorial Hospital, Christian County
- Gibson Area Hospital and Health Services, Ford County
- Hamilton Memorial Hospital District, Hamilton County
- Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital, Logan County
- Genesis Medical Center Aledo, Mercer County
- Hillsboro Area Hospital, Montgomery County
- Hopedale Medical Complex, Tazewell County
- Carle Hoopeston Regional Health Center, Vermilion County
- Fairfield Memorial Hospital, Wayne County
The state will provide a total of nearly 6,000 doses of the vaccine to the nine hospitals in addition to the existing allocations that the state already is distributing to health care sites.
What the $1.9 Trillion Stimulus Bill Does for Americans, Illinoisans
After the bill was passed by both houses of Congress this week, President Joe Biden signed the $1.9 trillion “American Rescue Plan” legislation into law Thursday, paving the way for millions of Americans to receive stimulus checks and a host of other relief in the coming days and weeks.
As the ink on Biden’s signature dries, click here for five things you need to know about the legislation.
These Are the 22 Mass COVID Vaccination Sites in Illinois
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has said on multiple occasions that shipments of COVID-19 vaccines are "set to soar" in the coming days, but for those who qualify, where can you get an appointment?
There are currently 21 state-supported mass vaccination sites across Illinois, plus a site at the United Center run in partnership with the federal government under a new pilot program.
For a look at all locations, click here.
Illinois Vaccinations
Note: For COVID-19, the herd-immunity threshold is estimated to be between 60 and 90 percent. Our analysis considers herd immunity reached at 75% of the population fully vaccinated based on estimates by Dr. Anthony Fauci.
