* Joint statement by Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Cook County Council President Toni Preckwinkle …
Our goal is to vaccinate as many people as quickly and efficiently as possible. That said, our biggest challenge is the very limited supply of vaccine we are receiving. Although we are making progress every day with vaccinating people in 1a and 1b, we are currently not receiving enough doses that would allow us to expand eligibility in these phases.
Doing so in Chicago and Cook County would add well over a million additional people to 1b, and the result would be that those currently eligible, including the elderly, essential frontline workers, and those in our most burdened communities with COVID, would have an hour to get a vaccine.
These phases were established after careful study and consideration and are based on the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We recognize that the governor must make difficult choices and consider needs across this diverse state, but given the limited supply of vaccine, we must also make difficult choices as leaders in the state’s most populous city and county. We hope to expand eligibility as the supply of vaccines improves.
* WTTW …
Chicago Department of Public Health commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said on Wednesday that the city is getting enough vaccine for 5% to 10% of Chicago’s citizens who are already eligible.
The expansion of eligibility may make sense in other parts of Illinois, where there is ample supply, said Arwady.
According to the city’s vaccine distribution plan, all essential workers, as well as Chicago citizens aged 16 and over with underlying health problems, will be eligible to be vaccinated from March 29, if there is enough supply.
More than 900,000 Chicagoans would be eligible for the next phase of the effort, said Arwady. But the city does not have “close to” enough vaccine to meet this demand, she added.
I don’t think there’s a sufficient supply anywhere, but dosage shipments are about to increase and the governor’s parents say they are finally getting reliable shipping estimates from the White House.
The governor will speak at 10 am in Elgin, so we should know more soon. I will update this post.
* About that…
Before Valentine’s Day, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said on Wednesday that she will allow Chicago’s bars and restaurants to increase the number of people who serve indoors.
But the city will continue to maintain stricter restaurant restrictions than the more flexible rules allowed in other parts of the state.
… Adding… Pritzker press release …
The number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination sites in Illinois continues to increase. Since yesterday, more than 340 new retail pharmacy locations have been added to the list of COVID-19 vaccination locations open to the public. There are now more than 850 vaccination sites in Illinois open to the public. The new locations include 339 Walgreens stores across Illinois, which will receive vaccine outside of a federal assignment and not a state assignment. In addition, four CVS locations are being added.
More info here.
*** UPDATE *** Emily Bittner …
The governor firmly believes that the most medically vulnerable in our state should qualify for vaccination as soon as possible, and that it would be unfair for medically vulnerable, such as cancer patients, had the vaccine denied in Illinois. Although vaccine supply remains limited across the country, the pipeline has started to increase and almost 100 million additional doses are on the horizon. Federal guidance already includes this vulnerable group, and the governor is particularly invested in expanding access because that group includes a disproportionately large number of vulnerable black people.
The federal orientation part is key here.
Background…
The Johnson and Johnson vaccine is due for approval in just a few weeks, and 100 million doses of the vaccine are expected to be distributed nationwide.
The federal government has already increased the supply of vaccines sent to states last week and has started to deliver more doses to pharmacies across the state.
With these promising developments, other states have begun to expand phase 1B according to federal guidelines, and some local health departments across the state have already expressed their willingness to move on to the next prioritization group in the coming weeks.
Illinois is working with local health departments to ensure they have the resources they need to administer doses to those who need them as quickly as possible.
This critical step gives local health departments the ability to make plans to open consultations for this group of vulnerable residents.