More than 100,000 people in Illinois have now received the COVID-19 vaccine.
Phase 1A of the state’s vaccine rollout continues with health care workers and long term care residents getting the shot first. With the approval of the Moderna version, Governor JB Pritzker says doses will be available in more locations.
“The Moderna vaccine doesn’t require ultra-cold freezer storage and has a longer shelf life of 30 days if kept refrigerated after it has thawed which allows for more flexibility in its distribution. With this week’s Moderna shipments, the vaccine will have officially reached all 102 counties in Illinois,” said Pritzker.
Like Pfizer, the Moderna vaccine requires two doses.
The update comes the same day Illinois reported another 6,762 cases and 135 deaths. The statewide positivity rate for the past seven days is 7.5-percent. The Southern Illinois Region positivity rate for the week ending December 20th has bumped up to 12.4-percent. The Marion County rate is now at 8.9-percent. The Metro-East Region is at 11.8-percent. The East Central Illinois Region is at 9.3-percent.
There are now 4,593 hospitalized statewide. 953 are in ICU and 536 on ventilators.
