QUINCY, Ill. — Illinois is making plans to expand Phase 1B eligibility on Feb. 25 for people who have comorbidities and underlying conditions.
The state plans to make the expansion based on steadily increasing federal vaccine supply, which has increased by nearly 30% under the Biden administration, according to a news release from Governor J.B. Pritzker’s office.
“As quickly as we receive enough vaccine supply, we need to waste no time in protecting a broader section of our most vulnerable population,” said Pritzker. “Those who are under 65 and live with comorbidities, such as cancer survivors or those living with heart disease, have an elevated risk of serious complications or death if they contract COVID-19.
"Illinois is moving forward in accordance with guidance from the CDC to expand our eligible population as supply allows, getting us closer to the point when the vaccine is widely available to all who want it. In the meantime, I encourage all Illinoisans to wear our masks and follow the mitigations so that more of our neighbors are healthy and alive when it’s their turn in the vaccination line.”
The Pritzker administration will begin working with local health departments and other providers across the state to include the additional higher-risk individuals into their community vaccination plans in the coming weeks. Those health departments that have substantially completed their existing Phase 1B population prior to the Feb. 25 expansion will be able to move forward earlier, at the determination of health officials.
The expansion applies to those who are 16 and older who aren’t otherwise covered in previous eligibility categories, the release stated.
Illinois is using this framework for what qualifies as a high-risk medical condition:
- Cancer
- Chronic kidney disease
- COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
- Diabetes
- Heart condition
- Immunocompromised state from a solid organ transplant
- Obesity
- Pregnancy
- Pulmonary disease
- Sickle cell disease
So far, Illinois has used more than 78% of its vaccine on hand, not including the federal government’s long-term vaccination program and the separate supply in Chicago. All three vaccination efforts have delivered about 1.5 million shots.
Illinois’ current statewide seven-day rolling case positivity rate is 3.3%, which is the lowest rate since July of last year.