CHICAGO — The State of Illinois is moving on to the next phase of its COVID-19 vaccination plan.
Last week, the state announce it made substantial progress in vaccinating individuals in Phase 1A, which includes health care workers and residents and personnel in long-term care facilities.
As of Jan. 22, Illinois administered more than 60% of its vaccine allocation outside of Chicago, according to a news release.
Beginning Monday, the state will move on to vaccinate individuals in Phase 1B. In this phase, residents age 65 and older and frontline essential workers can receive the vaccine.
Frontline essential workers include:
- First responders: Firefighters (including volunteers), law enforcement officers, 911 dispatch, security personnel, school officers.
- Corrections officers/inmates: Jail officers, juvenile facility staff, workers providing in-person support, inmates.
- Food and agriculture workers: processing, plants, veterinary health, livestock services, animal care.
- Postal service workers
- Manufacturing Workers: Industrial production of goods for distribution to retail, wholesale or other manufacturers.
- Grocery Store Workers: Baggers, cashiers, stockers, pick-up, customer service.
- Public Transit Workers: Flight crew, bus drivers, train conductors, taxi drivers, para-transit drivers, in-person support, ride sharing services.
- Education: teachers, principals, student support, student aids, day care workers.
- Shelters/adult day care: Homeless shelter, women's shelter, adult day/drop-in program, sheltered workshop, psycho-social rehab.
More than 3.2 million people are eligible in Phase 1B, the release stated.
Eligible residents will be able to receive a vaccine at one of the Illinois National Guard assisted sites, a site operated by a local health department or at a partner pharmacy.
Vaccination sites will be operated by appointment only. As the federal supply of vaccines increases and Illinois receives more vaccines, the state will launch walk-in locations and expand sites to additional providers like doctor’s offices and urgent care clinics.
“As more vaccine is allocated to Illinois, and more people are eligible to be vaccinated, we are starting to see the finish line coming into focus,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “I am cautiously optimistic with the trends we are seeing in Illinois, but I want to stress how important it is for us to continue our public health actions of wearing masks and avoiding large gatherings. Getting to the end of this pandemic will be about the choices we make. The choice to wear our mask, the choice to keep our distance, and the choice to get vaccinated."