Front-line workers in health care settings were the first Illinoisans to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday in what Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Nzogi Ezike called “the beginning of the end” for the pandemic in the state.
This week, vaccines are being administered in 96 hospitals associated with the 50 counties that have highest COVID-19 death rates per capita. Every hospital will be providing vaccinations to health care workers next week.
Gov. J.B. Pritkzer said more than 100,000 individuals will receive the vaccine in the coming days and weeks, especially as the Moderna-developed vaccine bolsters shipments. Both vaccines must be administered in two doses and have been rated as highly effective by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
“This is a beginning for the state of Illinois. People getting vaccinated, particularly our health care workers, is an exciting moment. I hope that everybody will take note that you were part of this and witnessed this. These health care workers have been working all throughout this pandemic taking care of people on the front lines. These are our heroes, and our heroes now have stepped forward to get their vaccine, and to show the way for everybody else,” the governor said at an event at the OSF St. Francis Training Center in Peoria, where five frontline workers received vaccines.
The governor explained that both local and state law enforcement are helping securely transport vaccines from the Illinois Strategic National Stockpile, where the first 43,000 doses were first received by the state, to regional hub hospitals, and then to additional hospitals in regions throughout the state. Additionally, Chicago and departments of public health in Cook, Lake County, Madison, and St. Clair counties are receiving direct shipments from the federal government.
Ezike said that she hopes seeing these early vaccinations will instill confidence in those who are concerned about the vaccine’s safety. During Tuesday’s medical update, she attempted to dispel rumors that the vaccine may contain tracking technology, may cause infertility, or may give a person COVID-19, encouraging the public to seek out multiple sources of information.
Allison F Richard
Legislative Consultant
Attorney at Law
