Phase 1B in Illinois is about to change as the state qualifies for a much larger group of residents.
Known as Phase 1B Plus, the current phase of rolling out COVID vaccines in Illinois will soon extend to people with certain high-risk medical conditions and comorbidities.
But that will not be the case everywhere.
Here’s what we know so far about the extended Phase 1B, which begins on February 25:
Who will be eligible in Phase 1B Plus and when?
As of February 25, the state plans to be eligible for Phase 1B to include people with certain underlying conditions and comorbidities.
The list of high-risk qualifying medical conditions (which are subject to change) includes:
- Cancer
- Chronic kidney disease
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
- Diabetes
- Heart condition
- Immuno-compromised State of a solid organ transplant
- Obesity
- Pregnancy
- Lung disease
- Sickle cell disease
The extension applies to those 16 and older who would not otherwise be covered in previous admission categories, the state said, adding that they plan to work with local health departments and other providers as admission increases.
This is in addition to the health workers and long-term care staff and residents who qualified in Phase 1A of the state implementation, as well as the essential workers and residents aged 65 and over who are eligible at the beginning of Phase 1B. included more than 3.2 million Illinois residents.
Here’s a look at those who have already qualified under Phase 1B:
- Residents 65 years and older
- Frontline Essential Workers, meaning “residents who are at higher risk for exposure to COVID-19 because of their job responsibilities, often because they are unable to work from home, and / or now have to work for others without take a social distance, which includes:
- First responders: Fire, law enforcement, 911 workers, security personnel, school officials
- Education: Teachers, principals, student support, student aids, day care worker
- Food and agriculture: Processing, plants, veterinary health, livestock services, animal care
- Manufacture: Industrial production of goods for distribution to retail, wholesale or other products
- Corrections workers and prisoners: Prison officers, youth staff, personal support workers, prisoners You
- USPS workers
- Public transport workers: Flight staff, bus drivers, train conductors, taxi drivers, para-transit drivers, personal support, ride-sharing services
- Grocery Stores: Excavators, cashiers, stockers, bakkie, customer service
- Shelters and day care staff: Homeless shelter, women’s shelter, adult / day delivery program, sheltered workshop, psychosocial rehabilitation
Which sites expand phase 1B and which do not?
Several local health departments, hospital systems, and provinces in Chicago have said they are not going to expand Phase 1B yet, and say the supply of vaccines remains limited.
Here’s a look at who’s so far and not expanding:
Chicago
Chicago was among the first to announce that they would not join the state.
“We are not ready yet,” said Dr. Chicago Public Health Secretary Allison Arwady said in a Facebook Live video on Tuesday. The city of Chicago, Cook County, Evanston, DuPage County, Stickney – there could be others. Everyone said we just could not go on at some point. ‘
According to Arwady, more than 950,000 Chicago residents would be eligible if the city expanded Phase 1B under state guidelines.
“We can not add a million people to the nearly one million people, including the 1A, who are already competing for the existing doses,” she said. “It will make everyone more frustrated. If we have more vaccine, we will definitely open up and go from there.”
Cook county
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle in a joint statement with Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot reiterated the allegations, saying: “We are not provided with sufficient doses to enable us to be eligible in these phases. “
DeKalb County
DeKalb County officials say the area will not expand Phase 1B until those eligible at the start of the phase receive their vaccinations.
DuPage County
The DuPage County Department of Health said in a statement that it could not extend the addition to the vaccine extension.
Evanston
In a note to residents, Evanston said he did not expect to extend the Phase 1B allocation “due to the large number of individuals 65 years and older in Evanston who are currently eligible for vaccines as part of Phase 1b, and the limited supply of vaccines available to date. “
Grundy county
In a Feb. 15 release, Grundy County said it “remains in phase 1b, which according to our people is under 65 years old with high-risk medical conditions.”
“Although these people have been admitted, we have not yet seen an increase in the allocation of vaccines to Grundy County. Our estimate is that 1b now includes more than 15,000 people, and we still see only hundreds of vaccines each week,” the province’s department of health said. “It’s going to take months to offer a vaccine to anyone who qualifies now.”
Jewel-Osco
‘Osco Drug Pharmacy follows the comprehensive guidelines for Phase 1b in Illinois which takes effect on 25 Februaryde, “the company said in a statement.
Kane County
“The Kane County Department of Health will be phasing in residents from Part 1 to Part 2 in their clinics as more vaccine becomes available,” the Department of Health said. “Some of our providers will continue to focus on 65+ patients, while others are better positioned to include patients with medical conditions.”
Kankakee County
“The Department of Health is committed to getting as many people vaccinated as quickly and as efficiently as possible,” the Department of Health said in a statement. “However, we are still receiving a very limited amount of vaccine. The expansion of Phase 1B will not yet be the vaccination of healthcare workers, the elderly and essential workers who are already in Phase 1A and 1B and are waiting their turn.
Lake county
Christopher Coveli spokesman Christopher Coveli spokesman Christopher Coveli spokesman Christopher Coveli spokesman Christopher Coveli Christopher Coveli spokesman Christopher Coveli spokesman Christopher Coveli said Christen Coveli’s spokesman Christopher, said. in a statement. “Per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations for the transition between phases, we would like to move to the ‘Phase 1b plus’ group when 60-70% of people are vaccinated within the current phase or when the offer “Vaccines are in greater demand at this stage. However, pharmacies and other entities receiving vaccinations directly from the state or federal government are free to follow the Illinois expansion that begins on February 25, 2021.”
Mariano s’n
“We will be [expanding] according to the jurisdiction of each country, “said a company spokesman.” Appointments can be made from [Thursday], but 3/1 is the vaccination date, pending the appointment available. “
McHenry County
“Based on the state’s current vaccination grants, MCDH will continue to phase 1b vaccination at 65 and older and first responders,” the country said in a statement.
Oak Street Health
“We are not going to be eligible for younger people with health conditions – we are focusing on older adults (patients and other elderly people) in our communities,” the health system said in a statement. “We see enough demand from this group and it is in line with the expectations that the City of Chicago and Cook County have set to stay focused on those who are currently eligible. The exception is that we are working in partnership with the Protect Chicago Plus. initiative of the City, where we vaccinate eight weekends (the previous two and the next six) residents aged 18 and over in the neighborhoods of Belmont Cragin and Montclare (two of the neighborhoods hit hardest by the pandemic, as outlined by the City). Proud of the work we do there – it has a measurable impact on the vaccination rates of Latinos in Chicago. ‘
Will county
“Like so many counties in our area, we cannot expand to what is now called ‘1B-plus’ due to lack of adequate vaccine supplies,” the Will County Department of Health said in a statement. “We will continue to focus on Phase 1B, and 65-year-olds and older, hoping that the supply of vaccines will improve soon.”
Government JB Pritzker said the state is still expected to be eligible for Phase 1B on Thursday, despite the delay in shipping that led to a shortage of doses for some cities last week.
Do you need medical conditions?
Pritzker noted that people who are eligible in the extended phase do not have to prove that they have a high-risk medical condition, although many are likely to receive the vaccine from their doctors in primary care.
“We do not let people walk in with documents from their doctor to prove that they have diabetes, or to prove that they have cancer. We rely on people, the primary system, to present people who have the problems,” Pritzker said. “Of course we are too: the nurses and doctors who give the doses to people can ask them questions about their condition to confirm it. And many people actually go to their regular healthcare provider who already has their record on the tab and knows what they know. comorbidity. ”
Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, says although evidence of conditions is not explicitly required, it will help speed up the vaccination process.
“Most people with a complex illness may have a recent bottle with their names, they may have a doctor’s letter, or a recent summary sheet indicating the conditions,” she said during a recent panel discussion. on NBC 5 Chicago. ‘We try not to create obstacles or problems, but we want to make sure we target the people who need this vaccine the most, and can help people with comorbidities to provide evidence, in addition to the evidence they may have to make so that they can get the vaccine. ”
For a complete look at where and how to make an appointment in Illinois or where to get vaccine information for your area, click here.
Why is the state expanding?
“Those younger than 65 and living with disease conditions, such as cancer survivors or those suffering from heart disease, have an increased risk of serious complications or death if they contract COVID-19,” Governor JB Pritzker said in a statement. “Illinois is moving forward according to the guidance of the CDC to expand our eligible population as the supply allows, to bring us closer to the point where the vaccine is widely available to anyone who wants it. In the meantime, I encourage all Illinois- residents to wear our masks and follow the softeners so that more of our neighbors are healthy and alive when it is their turn to get the vaccination line. ”
But why expand with so many regions not receiving the necessary doses?
“It seems like there are some rural areas in the state that have received more vaccine. They may not have that many people, they may have gotten a high percentage of their people over 65 and their essential workers,” the department said. Chicago said. Public health commissioner dr. Allison Arwady said.