Eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine will extend to all Illinois residents over the age of 16, except those in the city of Chicago, which begins April 12, government JB Pritzker announced Thursday.
Pritzker and the director of Illinois’ Department of Public Health, dr. Ngozi Ezike, made the announcement during an update of COVID-19 in which he also unveiled a new framework for the reopening plan of the state.
Pritzker said all Illinois residents over the age of 16 are eligible to be vaccinated starting April 12, adding that government officials will make more information available in the coming days about certain populations eligible for final expansion.
“By that date, all state-sponsored mass vaccination works, local health departments, pharmacy partners – in short, every jurisdiction that receives vaccine from the Illinois State Award – will be commissioned to be widely eligible,” Pritzker’s office said. statement.
According to officials, all vaccinations will be by appointment only, and it may take time to make an appointment to get a chance.
Pritzker’s office also noted that residents who are not currently able to receive the vaccine are not yet able to schedule an appointment for a future date. They ask for patience in the days and weeks after April 12, as appointments can be “limited.”
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.
The April 12 date is ahead of the timeline set by President Joe Biden earlier this month and said he would order countries to be eligible for the vaccine by May 1.
Pritzker said last week that he was “confident” in the promotion of vaccines and that he believed the state could progress before the deadline.
Illinois entered Phase 1B Plus of its vaccine deployment program late last month, which has expanded its suitability for individuals with certain high-risk medical conditions and comorbidities. This is in addition to the health workers already eligible and staff for long-term care facilities and residents who qualified in Phase 1A, plus essential workers at the front, as well as residents 65 and older who were eligible in the earlier version of Phase 1B .
Click here for a complete overview of who is eligible to be vaccinated in phase 1B Plus.
But when the state entered Phase 1B Plus, several jurisdictions, including the city of Chicago, suburban Cook County, and several other counties in the area, announced that they would not extend the permit along with the rest of Illinois, citing the low vaccine supply.
Chicago officials announced Wednesday that the city will move to Phase 1C, which includes all remaining essential workers as well as all adults with qualifying health conditions, as planned on March 29.
As Chicago receives its supply of vaccine from the federal government allocated separately from the state, the city operates according to its own framework and timetable and will not be eligible for all adults with the rest of the state on April 12th.
Illinois officials said Thursday that the state has administered more than 4.3 million doses of the available COVID-19 vaccines since vaccinations began in December, and currently averages about 100,000 doses a day as supply has increased.