* Press release…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 1,997 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 19 additional deaths.
- Cook County: 1 female 40s, 1 female 60s, 2 males 60s, 1 female 70s, 3 males 70s, 1 male 80s, 1 male 90s
- DuPage County: 1 male 70s
- Madison County: 1 female 60s, 1 female 90s
- Ogle County: 1 male 60s
- Rock Island County: 1 female 70s
- St. Clair County: 1 male 60s
- Will County: 1 female 60s, 1 male 70s
- Winnebago County: 1 male 90s
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 1,212,110 cases, including 20,973 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 51,240 specimens for a total of 19,221,483. As of last night, 1,152 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 250 patients were in the ICU and 124 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from March 9-15, 2021 is 2.3%. The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from March 9-15, 2021 is 2.6%.
A total of doses of 4,982,225 vaccine have been delivered to providers in Illinois, including Chicago. In addition, approximately 414,900 doses total have been allocated to the federal government’s Pharmacy Partnership Program for long-term care facilities. This brings the total Illinois doses to 5,397,125. A total of 4,181,097 vaccines have been administered in Illinois as of last midnight, including 356,427 for long-term care facilities. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 102,564 doses, the highest number to date. Yesterday, 78,287 doses were reported administered in Illinois.
*All data are provisional and will change. In order to rapidly report COVID-19 information to the public, data are being reported in real-time. Information is constantly being entered into an electronic system and the number of cases and deaths can change as additional information is gathered. Information for deaths previously reported has changed, therefore, today’s numbers have been adjusted. For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.
* Sun-Times live blog headlines…
Schools weighing whether to seat students closer together
Some South Side residents 40 and older can get COVID-19 vaccine today in Pullman
Researchers study impact of pandemic cancer screening pause
Anxiety, confusion, terror, relief: Giving birth in pandemic
EU regulator ‘convinced’ AstraZeneca benefit outweighs risk
- IllinoisBoi - Tuesday, Mar 16, 21 @ 1:16 pm:
The fight is far from over, but we’re back down to the case and fatality numbers we had last July and August. Cross fingers.
- Blake - Tuesday, Mar 16, 21 @ 1:25 pm:
Connecticut Gov. Lamont said March 19 they are opening vaccinating to everyone age 45-54 with a tentative date to age 16-44 on April 5
https://twitter.com/GovNedLamont/status/1371529369458335744
- Anotheretiree - Tuesday, Mar 16, 21 @ 1:29 pm:
==Blake== Other States are doing this. Concerned why we aren’t.
- Dee Lay - Tuesday, Mar 16, 21 @ 1:41 pm:
++Other States are doing this. Concerned why we aren’t.++
1B plus was a step in the right direction. We need to get 1C rolling and the all 55+ folks.
I wonder if we are getting to the nexus where the vaccine supply is enough, but the vaccinators and locations aren’t enough to handle the influx.
- JB13 - Tuesday, Mar 16, 21 @ 1:49 pm:
– other States are doing this. Concerned why we aren’t.–
Correct. It’s hard to take someone seriously when they say they want the pandemic to end, but then slow walk distribution of the one thing that can actually end it, out of fear that the “wrong people” might get some of the vaccinations at the “wrong time.”
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Mar 16, 21 @ 1:53 pm:
=== slow walk===
Define “slow walk”
It’s not like vaccine is being wasted or unused by the thousands… daily… that’s “slow walking”
Also, aren’t we hitting daily records for vaccines given?
How do you reconcile that?
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Mar 16, 21 @ 1:55 pm:
===Define “slow walk”===
He means Black people.
- Nathan - Tuesday, Mar 16, 21 @ 2:10 pm:
Downers Grove Elementary School District 58 is going back full time 5 days a week after spring break. The guidance shortening social distancing from 6 feet to 3 feet is a big reason and the fact that they have not noticed any spread in the schools all year in hybrid learning.
- Cool Papa Bell - Tuesday, Mar 16, 21 @ 2:15 pm:
Connecticut isn’t Illinois.
Connecticut land area: 5,543 sq miles
Illinois land area: 57,915 sq miles
McLean County land area: 1,186 sq miles
Vaccine distribution in a small, densely packed state like Connecticut is magnitudes easier than in Illinois.
And Illinois is actually doing a really good job.
- Anotherretiree - Tuesday, Mar 16, 21 @ 2:38 pm:
==CPB== 5,543 vs 57,915. We aren’t vaccinating dirt. Its the people. And there aren’t that many people living in all that dirt. And we have cars to compensate for the dirt between me and the vaccine center. We have vaccine centers in podunk places(Jacksonville LOL). My brother and wife made it the 20 miles in their horse and buggy to get the shots. There is a ratio of medical people to citizens regardless of the dirt. We aren’t keeping up if 64 year olds like me in other states are getting vaccinated now. We can do better.
- WestBurbs - Tuesday, Mar 16, 21 @ 3:03 pm:
Anybody who has tried to schedule a vax in Cook, DuPage, Lake knows how difficult it is to get an appointment. Assuming the cause is anything other than a conspiracy to hold back shots, I think its pretty clear that opening up eligibility will only increase the difficulty of getting an appointment. That will change as more doses are manufactured/shipped but - as of today - being eligible is a far cry from getting vaccinated any time soon.
- Simple Simon - Tuesday, Mar 16, 21 @ 3:28 pm:
===the vaccinators and locations aren’t enough to handle the influx===
Almost every time I go to the mass vaccination web sites there are appointments. If they are full, I wait 5 minutes and try again, and one appears. I tried last week in Springfield and there were 10+ available for the next day. This makes me believe that we have more slots than willing arms. Open up for 55+.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Mar 16, 21 @ 6:11 pm:
- Professor X -
You could’ve ask - JB13 - your question.
Why didn’t you?