SPRINGFIELD, Ill — COVID-19 vaccines arrived in Illinois on Monday.
The state received 43,000 doses in its first shipment as health officials reported another 103 coronavirus deaths statewide.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker's office said most of the shots will go to local health care centers to be distributed to health care workers. The news came as health care workers nationwide started getting the first shots of the vaccine made by Pfizer Inc. and its German partner BioNTech.
Pritzker has previously said he expects Illinois to receive about 109,000 doses within the next few weeks. Chicago officials expect about 20,000 to 25,000 of those doses to arrive in the city.
Gov. Pritzker was there as the first doses arrived. The first shipment arrived at the Illinois Strategic National Stockpile.
"Today marks a momentous occasion – not just this year, but in American history. We will continue to share regular updates along the way. But in this moment, may we all take a moment to feel hope for a brighter future," Pritzker said.
He previously said it will take multiple weeks of distribution to get the health care workers their first of the two doses that they require, while also getting vaccines to long-term care facility residents.
On Dec. 4, Dr. Ngozi Ezike, the state's public health director said the 10 hospitals in the 50 counties with the highest death rates per capita have been notified they will serve as the distribution sites for the vaccine. She also mentioned the federal partnership with CVS and Walgreens to vaccinate residents of the long-term care facilities in the state.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.