 Data indicates that daily vaccination numbers have
jumped to the highest level seen since early February, during the
major surge in illnesses caused by the Omicron variant. The
announcement comes as 66 counties in Illinois are at an elevated
level for COVID-19. IDPH is reporting 17,584 new confirmed and
probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois,
including 74 deaths since September 9, 2022.
“It is very encouraging to see Illinois residents turning out in
such strong numbers to take advantage of the updated bivalent
booster shots that are now available,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer
Vohra. “These new booster shots – designed specifically to offer
extra protection from the dominant Omicron strain of the virus - are
the latest, most advanced tool to protect Illinois residents from
experiencing the worst effects of COVID-19. It’s important for
everyone who is eligible to get up to date on vaccines and boosters
as soon as possible, before a potential fall and winter surge leads
to increased infections.”
IDPH reported that over the last week, an average of more than
21,000 doses of the new bivalent vaccines have been administered
across the state each day. This is more than double the daily
average for all vaccinations for most of the summer. Notably, older
Illinoisans, who are at risk of more severe outcomes, have been
turning out in higher proportions for the updated vaccines. While
people 65 and older make up 20% of Illinois’ eligible population.,
they have received 44% of the bivalent doses.
The CDC authorized two new bivalent booster vaccines on September 2
that include an mRNA component of the original strain to provide an
immune response that is broadly protective against COVID-19 and an
added mRNA component in common between the omicron variant BA.4 and
BA.5 lineages to provide better protection against COVID-19 caused
by the omicron variant.
The Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent, is authorized for use as a
single booster dose in individuals 18 years of age and older. The
Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent, is authorized for use as
a single booster dose in individuals 12 years of age and older.
The updated boosters are available at pharmacies, hospitals, and
other healthcare providers. The best way to locate a vaccine
provider near you is to visit www.vaccines.gov and search for
bivalent booster availability.
According to the CDC,20 Illinois counties are now rated at High
Community Level for COVID-19. An additional 46 counties in Illinois
are now rated at Medium Community Level.
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 3,733,902 cases, including
34,885 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois since the beginning of
the pandemic.
As of last night, 1,153 individuals in Illinois were reported to be
in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 145 patients were in the
ICU and 49 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators. The
preliminary seven-day statewide case rate is 138 COVID-19 cases per
100,000 Illinoisans.
The counties in Illinois listed at High Community Level are
Champaign, Clay, Coles, DeKalb, Douglas, Edgar, Fayette, Ford,
Franklin, Fulton, Henderson, Jackson, Johnson, Perry, Richland,
Scott, Stephenson, Vermilion, Wabash, and Williamson.
The CDC recommends the following measures for people in areas that
are rated at High Community Level for COVID-19 transmission:
Wear a well-fitting mask indoors in public, regardless of
vaccination status (including in K-12 schools and other indoor
community settings)
If you are immunocompromised or high risk for severe disease
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Wear a mask or respirator that provides you with
greater protection
Consider avoiding non-essential indoor activities in public where
you could be exposed
Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to take
other precautions
Have a plan for rapid testing if needed (e.g., having home tests or
access to testing)
IF YOU TEST POSITIVE: Talk to your healthcare
provider about whether you are a candidate for treatments like oral
antivirals, and monoclonal antibodies
If you have household or social contact with someone at high risk
for severe disease
consider self-testing to detect infection before contact
consider wearing a mask when indoors with them
Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters
Maintain improved ventilation throughout indoor spaces when possible
Follow CDC recommendations for isolation and quarantine, including
getting tested if you are exposed to COVID-19 or have symptoms of
COVID-19
At the Medium Community Level, persons who are elderly or
immunocompromised (at risk of severe outcomes) are advised to wear a
mask in indoor public places. In addition, they should make sure to
get up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines or get their 2nd booster,
if eligible.
IDPH has been supporting pharmacies and healthcare providers in
efforts to increase their inventories of the various FDA-authorized
treatments. There are over 1,200 treatment locations in Illinois -
including all the major retail pharmacies. More than 96.7% of the
state’s population is within a 10-mile radius of one of these
locations.
A total of 23,479,530 vaccines have been administered in Illinois.
The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is
27,025 doses, including the bivalent booster and first doses. Since
September 9, 189,177 doses were reported administered in Illinois.
Of Illinois’ total population, more than 77% has received at least
one COVID-19 vaccine dose, more than 69% of Illinois’ total
population is fully vaccinated, and more than 54% of the vaccinated
population has an initial booster according to data from the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention.
Data indicates that the risk of hospitalization and severe outcomes
from COVID-19 is much higher for unvaccinated people than for those
who are up to date on their vaccinations. All data are provisional
and are subject to change. Additional information and COVID-19 data
can be found at https://dph.illinois.gov/covid19.html.
Vaccination is the key to ending this pandemic. To find a COVID-19
vaccination location near you, go to www.vaccines.gov. The federal
government has established a new website that provides an
all-purpose toolkit with information on how to obtain masks,
treatment, vaccines and testing resources for all areas of the
country at: https://www.covid.gov/.
[Illinois Office of Communication and
Information]
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