 Joined by Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH)
Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike and other pediatric healthcare
professionals, the governor announced the administration is
partnering with pediatricians, local health departments, schools,
and other organizations ahead of the expected emergency-use
authorization from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) and the Federal Drug Administration (FDA).
Once the Pfizer vaccine is authorized for use in children ages 5-11,
more than 2,200 locations and providers statewide, including
Chicago, are already enrolled to provide the vaccine. Illinois is
expected to receive an initial allotment of approximately 306,000
doses for the state’s youngest residents, with an additional 73,000
doses for the City of Chicago, and well over 100,000 additional
doses headed to the federal government’s pharmacy partners in
Illinois. Overall, the initial allocation will amount to
approximately 500,000 doses available to children in Illinois.
“Thanks to scientists and doctors who’ve worked tirelessly for the
last year, we are likely just days away from having the COVID-19
vaccine available for 1.1 million more Illinois children, ages 5 to
11,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “As soon as the FDA and the CDC have
signed off, these kid-sized doses and kid-sized needles will be
shipped out to pharmacies, pediatricians and other providers across
Illinois — and IDPH has reached out to every pediatrician in the
state to enroll them in the vaccine distribution program. As a
parent, you should call your pediatrician now to make sure they’ve
enrolled and have ordered doses. And I will do everything in my
power to continue to follow the science and keep our kids safe.”
As vaccination rates among adults increasing, positive COVID-19
cases among children have spiked. For the week ending October 14,
one in four cases nationally were children, according to the
American Academy of Pediatrics.
In preparation for administering shots to the 1.1 million children
across the state who will become eligible for the vaccine in the
coming days, IDPH is enrolling pediatric offices to provide COVID-19
shots. There are more than 2,200 locations and providers statewide,
including Chicago, that have already enrolled to provide COVID-19
vaccinations to the 5-11 age bracket. That includes more than 700
pediatric and family medicine practices, more than 700 pharmacy
locations, approximately 100 urgent care locations, 112 local health
departments and public health clinics, 270 federally qualified
health centers, more than 200 hospitals, and dozens of rural health
clinics.
“Now that authorization has been granted, it is critically important
that we get as many children vaccinated as quickly as possible, in
order to provide them with the ultimate degree of protection,” said
Dr. Ngozi Ezike, Director of the Illinois Department of Public
Health. “IDPH is partnering with practices of all sizes, healthcare
systems, and physician associations across the state to ensure the
vaccine is readily available as soon as parents and guardians
request it for their children.”
To make access to the pediatric vaccine as equitable as possible,
the administration is also coordinating with federally qualified
health centers, local health departments, and family practitioners.
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IDPH is also overseeing outreach to 756 elementary
school districts across the state to offer parent-approved
vaccination clinics on school grounds, just as was offered to all
relevant school districts when the COVID-19 vaccines were made
available to 12-17-year-old students. The Illinois Emergency
Management Agency (IEMA)-IDPH mobile vaccination teams have already
conducted over 4,000 events statewide, including more than 870
school and youth events for older (12-17) students. An additional
350 vaccine clinics among older students have been planned for the
coming weeks.
Illinois remains a national leader in youth vaccination, with more
than two-thirds of the state’s 12-17 population receiving at least
one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. According to the American Academy
of Pediatrics, Illinois is currently the only state in the Midwest
to hit this milestone.
“The best way to protect our children is by ensuring that we
vaccinate as many youngsters as possible,” said Jihad Shoshara, MD,
FAAP. “We know that vaccines are the most powerful resource we have
in the fight against COVID-19, and with their authorization for ages
5 – 11, and by collaborating with health care systems across the
state, we have the ability help families protect their children.”
“As the professional association of Illinois pediatricians, the
Illinois Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics stands read to
partner in protecting our young patients by utilizing every tool at
our disposal,” said Michelle Barnes, MD, FAAP a member of the ICAAP
Executive Board. “Our members are committed to working with IDPH and
local health departments, to administer vaccine and further protect
our children from this virus.”
The Pfizer vaccine consists of two doses given three weeks apart
followed by a two week wait for maximum immunity. To further ensure
the health and safety of Illinois children, the State is requiring
current, mandatory trainings for all vaccine providers on the
pediatric vaccination guidelines.
This is the latest efforts building upon the Pritzker
Administration’s existing vaccination or regular testing
requirements. This includes all licensed daycare center staff,
Pre-K-12 teachers and staff, all higher education personnel, all
higher education students, and healthcare workers in a variety of
settings, such as hospitals, nursing homes, urgent care facilities,
and physician offices. A masking requirement for all Pre-K-12
schools and childcare facilities, including indoor P-12 recreation,
has been in effect in Illinois since August 4, 2021. To slow the
spread of the highly transmissible COVID-19 Delta variant, all
Illinois residents over the age of two have been required to wear a
mask in all indoor settings since August 30, 2021, regardless of
vaccination status.
To find a vaccine location near you, visit vaccines.gov.
[Office of the Governor JB Pritzker] |
