Coronavirus in Illinois updates: Heres what happened March 9 with COVID-19 in the Chicago area – Chicago Tribune

Meanwhile, The United Center mass vaccination site opened Tuesday morning amid confusion after a one-hour delay in starting appointments led to more than a hundred people waiting on the sidewalks, some cheerfully and others less so.

People who live in Chicago or suburban Cook County who didnt already snag appointments were left with uncertainty after Mayor Lori Lightfoot and health officials said they would have to wait longer for additional information on when online sign-ups would resume. Though city officials promised to unveil more information on how non-Chicagoans can sign up again, they did not provide updates. Heres the latest on whos eligible.

Heres whats happening Tuesday with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:

(Updated): 7:15 p.m.: United Center opens as COVID-19 mass vaccination site despite early confusion: We are now a live clinic

A federally run mass vaccination site at the United Center opened an hour behind schedule Tuesday morning amid widespread confusion over ever-shifting guidelines for who is eligible to receive coronavirus inoculations at the facility, announced with much fanfare 10 days earlier as a new option for residents across Illinois who qualify due to age, occupation or medical condition.

The delay in opening led to more than a hundred people standing wrapped around two blocks, with some chatting about who they know who has been vaccinated and others frantically flagging down a volunteer to ask whether they were going to miss their appointments. A security guard strode beside the crowd, urging people to stand 6 feet apart.

Even as immunizations got underway, Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and other officials did little during a news conference at the site to bring clarity to a situation muddled by the last-minute decision over the weekend to close appointments to residents outside Chicago and Cook County after an initial sign-up period for anyone age 65 or older.

Hours later, Pritzker spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh said that instead of reopening the United Center site to residents outside Chicago and Cook County, the state would redirect the remaining portion of its doses allocated to the site 10% of the roughly 336,000 doses expected to be administered to federal mobile vaccination teams, targeting hard-hit communities in the rest of the suburbs and other parts of the state.

The change in eligibility for the United Center was made over concerns from the Federal Emergency Management Agency that not enough Chicago residents were getting appointments, undermining a common goal of equitable vaccine distribution to communities hardest hit by the pandemic.

Chicago and Cook County residents who werent among the more than 53,000 people whod booked an appointment as of late Tuesday morning will have to wait a little longer for additional information on how to sign up, though Chicago public health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady later said city residents should keep checking Zocdoc.com for appointments that become available due to cancellations.

The city and county, meanwhile, will be doing targeted outreach to encourage people in some of the communities with the highest coronavirus infection and death rates to sign up for the vaccine. In Chicago, those efforts will be focused on five ZIP codes on the South and West sides: 60608, 60619, 60620, 60649 and 60652.

An announcement about how suburban Cook County residents will be able to sign up for future appointments at the United Center is expected later this week, Cook County Health spokeswoman Caryn Stancik said in a statement.

The citys share of the doses 60% of the total allocated to the United Center will be made available to people 65 and older, front-line workers in essential industries and those who qualify under state rules based on preexisting health conditions, with the exception of smokers. The city, which gets its own vaccine supply from the federal government, has not opened up its other vaccination sites to people under 65 with underlying health conditions a point of contention with the state.

Despite the confusion, several people who had landed an appointment and were in line Tuesday morning said that although the logistics at the United Center werent perfect, the arrival of their appointment day was a cause for celebration as the anniversary of Pritzkers stay-at-home order last March nears. They said their shots would symbolize the start of a true spring and summer this year, speaking with wide-eyed optimism about plans to reunite with family and leave the house.

6:25 p.m.: Will County committees recommend hiring equity manager to assist with vaccine rollout

Some Will County Board members want to hire an equity manager to ensure the equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.

The boards diversity and inclusion committee and public health and safety committee together endorsed the proposal Tuesday, sending it to the county board for a possible vote March 18.

The equity manager, proposed by a coalition of community based organizations representing Latino and Black communities, would fall under the Will County executives office but work with the county health department. A job description will be available for review before the county board vote.

In recent weeks, the health department has come under fire for its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccine roll out. In a memo to county officials last week, a coalition of 12 community based organizations said the health department failed in essential equity practices since the beginning of the pandemic and pushed for change.

2:45 p.m.: Nebraska, Texas moved up Chicagos emergency travel order as 9 states bumped down to lighter restrictions

Travelers heading to Chicago from Nebraska and Texas will be subject to additional coronavirus mitigations under this weeks update of the citys emergency travel order, which also removed restrictions from nine states.

Starting Friday, Nebraska and Texas will move up from the citys yellow tier to the orange one, according to a Tuesday Chicago Department of Public Health news release. Travelers coming from the latter tier, which will include 24 states and Washington, must quarantine for 10 days or test negative for coronavirus no more than 72 hours before arriving. People can avoid either requirement if they have been fully vaccinated at least two weeks earlier.

California, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, West Virginia and Wyoming will move down to the yellow tier that will include 25 states and Puerto Rico, according to CDPH.

The orange category includes states or territories that have a seven-day rolling average above 15 daily cases per 100,000 residents, while yellow states are under that threshold.

2 p.m.: The power of mRNA, the threat of mutations and the difficulty of the last mile things weve learned about COVID-19 at the year mark

When COVID-19 was declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020, even some of the most informed people knew little about coronaviruses and far less about SARS-CoV-2, the new coronavirus that was upending the world as we knew it.

But a prolonged global threat to commerce, lifestyles and millions of human lives has a way of focusing minds. Just six months into the pandemic, there was much we all learned, as scientists across the world turned their focus to the disease and shared their discoveries. People started tossing around terms such as airborne particles, social distancing and superspreaders.

That was just the beginning. Since then, weve learned a great deal more. Some of that new knowledge inspires hope, even as other emerging facts continued to fuel apprehension amid growing pandemic fatigue.

Many public health experts believe the light at the end of the tunnel is real, if the world remains vigilant about taking precautions, tracking cases and getting vaccines into arms. But even those optimists concede they are worried about the viruss evolution and the possibility it will learn to evade the immune responses already triggered by infection or inoculation.

2 p.m.: Schools across central Lake County opting for return to full-time, in-person learning

School districts in central Lake County are heading toward having students inside classrooms buildings full-time as positive COVID-19 cases continue to drop locally, nationally and statewide.

Many of the school districts making strides toward an option of full week of have been in hybrid learning for several months. The group of districts with current plans to return to a full-time schedule include Mundelein High School District 120, Libertyville School District 70 and Hawthorn School District 73.

Community High School District 128 voted Monday night to move forward with offering a full-time option beginning April 5.

During the March 2 meeting SD128 Superintendent Prentiss Lea said the change is being added as an option for parents interested in having their child return to in-classroom instruction full-time. Parents who want to continue with hybrid or all-remote instruction will be able to do so, district officials said.

In this scenario, anybody that has a choice that they love right now youre good to go, Lea said.

12:43 p.m.: Half of Illinois residents 65 and up have now received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, state officials say

Half of Illinois residents age 65 and over have now received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine, state public health officials reported on Tuesday.

Officials said 75,372 doses were administered on Monday, bringing the statewide total to 3,463,150. The state has averaged 92,180 vaccinations over the last seven days, officials said.The number of Illinois residents who have been fully vaccinated receiving both of the required shots reached 1,194,320, or 9.37% of the total population.

Also Tuesday, officials reported 16 additional cases of the coronavirus variant originating from the United Kingdom, for a total of 85, and one additional case of the variant from South Africa, for a total of two. Officials previously identified one case of the Brazilian variant.

The strains spread more easily and quickly than others, posing the threat of reinfections and the possibility of another resurgence of the disease, though studies so far suggest current vaccines offer some protection against the variants as well as prevent severe illness.

The daily count of new confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases was 1,510, and there were 16 additional fatalities. The total number of known infections in Illinois since the pandemic began is 1,201,027, and the statewide death toll is 20,781.

Tuesdays new cases resulted from 53,445 tests. The seven-day statewide positivity rate for cases as a share of total tests was 2.3% as of Monday.

As of Monday night, 1,177 people in Illinois were hospitalized with COVID-19, with 263 patients in intensive care units and 132 patients on ventilators.

12:25 p.m.: Naperville mayor wants to set up short- and long-term clinics to administer COVID-19 vaccinations

Napervilles mayor says hes committed to getting the COVID-19 vaccine into the arms of more Naperville residents, and would like to host events similar to the mass vaccination clinic held in Aurora Monday.

Mayor Steve Chirico said hes been working with private institutions to create a one- or two-day vaccine clinic where hundreds of people can be vaccinated in addition to a long-term operation that might be available over multiple weeks and provide 100 vaccines a day.

What the mayor is proposing would not be hosted by a governmental agency so Chirico said he needs to get the process approved by state and federal authorities, and that takes time.

Nothing is inked yet, he said.

He understands how weary people have become searching for a location to receive a vaccine, he said.

Its frustrating. I get it, Chirico said. We will get something soon.

12:15 p.m.: 1,510 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19, 16 new deaths reported

Officials announced 1,510 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 16 additional fatalities on Tuesday, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 1,201,027 and the statewide death toll to 20,781 since the start of the pandemic.

There were 53,445 tests reported in the previous 24 yours and the seven-day statewide positivity rate as a percent of total test is 2.3%.

11:30 a.m.: Cubs can fill Wrigley Field at 20% capacity to start the season a walk before you run approach with bigger hopes

The Chicago Cubs achieved step one in the quest to have fans back in Wrigley Field.

Now their focus shifts to safely implementing the details they presented to the city. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Monday the Cubs and White Sox can have a 20% capacity at their respective stadiums.

For the Cubs, that equates to 8,274 fans per home game. President of Baseball Operations Crane Kenney told the Tribune on Tuesday that the team asked for a higher capacity, but the city and state wanted to take a walk before you run approach, which Kenney said the Cubs are completely in agreement with.

Successfully navigating the first homestand is a key to reaching a higher stadium capacity. After opening the 2021 season with six home games, the Cubs embark on a six-game road trip before returning to Wrigley on April 16. That two-week window should reveal whether there have been any incidents of transmission.

Gates will open 90 minutes before first pitch, but tickets will have assigned entry times and gate locations to mitigate foot traffic and maintain adequate spacing in and around the ballpark. There also are going to be 20 designated zones within Wrigley, which will have their own concession stands and bathrooms. Despite not being at full capacity, all concession stands and bathrooms will be open to ensure social distancing throughout the ballpark.

The remote parking lot at DeVry University will not be available to start the season as a safety measure but could return at some point during the season.

11:03 a.m.: Parents angered by bullying at school board meetings come to the defense of Indian Prairie district officials

When Marian Banks spoke at Mondays Indian Prairie District 204 School Board meeting, it was not to scold administrators and elected officials for their handling of back-to-school plans but to apologize to them.

It has been extremely frustrating, disappointing and baffling to witness the behavior and hurtful comments of some trying to bully and threaten the board into making rash decisions, Banks said.

The majority of those who spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting said the same thing, voicing support for how the district has set up the hybrid schedule under which parents who want their children in school can have them to attend on a part-time basis.

At previous meetings, a large number of parents have been critical of the districts failure to return students to school full time, saying the half-day schedule which expanded from two days to four this week was insufficient and harming children academically and socially/mentally.

We have every right to exercise our voice and concern, but when that advocacy turns rude, disrespectful and threatening, that is a problem, said Banks, president of the nonprofit Parents Advocating for Greater Enrichment of Students organization.

I do not want the board thinking or feeling that everyone shares those sentiments ... many of the parents understand the complexities this situation presents, she said.

10:21 a.m.: Glenview residents 65 and older can sign up Tuesday afternoon for mass vaccination event at Glenbrook South

Glenbrook High School District 225 and Glenview officials are teaming up with Jewel-Osco Thursday to host a COVID-19 mass vaccination site for area educators and community members.

Glenview residents ages 65 and older can sign up for the event starting at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, according to the village. Appointments can only be placed over the phone by calling 847-802-8602, and those who sign up will need to provide their name, address, date of birth, phone number and email.

Appointments will be scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis, and the phone line will remain open until all spots are full, according to officials.

We expect a high volume of calls, so if you receive a busy signal or error message, please wait a few minutes and try again, reads a message on the Glenview village website announcing the registration.

The mass vaccination event will take place Thursday at Glenbrook South High School, 4000 West Lake Avenue. Attendees will receive the first dose of the Moderna vaccine that day and a second dose April 8, so they must be available on both dates, village officials said.

Omelan Kluchnyk, 70, is first in line to enter the United Center mass vaccination site before it opens on March 9, 2021. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

9:45 a.m.: United Center opens as COVID-19 mass vaccination site: We are now a live clinic.

Omelan Kluchnyk, 70, was first in line, having arrived at 6:30 a.m. after a short commute from Ukrainian Village. His 8 a.m. appointment would not start until about 9 a.m., however because of unspecified delays. Dozens of people stood after him for two blocks, some chatting about who they know who has already gotten vaccinated, others frantically flagging down a volunteer to ask whether they were going to miss their appointments.

I feel great as long as we get our shots, Kluchnyk said, smiling despite grumpier demeanors from other people waiting in line.

The United Center site will be the biggest COVID-19 vaccination center in the state, with a goal of 6,000 vaccines per day. The site will be open seven days a week for eight weeks.The 6,000 doses per day that the United Center site will provide are in addition to the doses that the city and state are already receiving. The doses provided at the center will be the Pfizer vaccine, and people will also receive an appointment for their second dose at the center after receiving their first.

7:01 a.m.: Officials to preview United Center mass vaccination site

Gov. J.B. Pritzker will join federal and local officials, including Mayor Lori Lightfoot and acting Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Robert Fention, Tuesday morning at the United Center to give a news conference about the mass vaccination center there.

Pritzker and other officials, including Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, were to give an update on the vaccination site as its scheduled to begin its soft opening Tuesday morning. The site is designed to be able allow the distribution of 6,000 COVID-19 vaccination shots a day.

Following confusion over the weekend about who is eligible to receive vaccinations at the United Center when eligibility was limited to Chicagoans, city Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said Monday more information on when other Illinois residents will be able to go to the United Center should be shared Tuesday. Chicago Tribune staff

6:30 a.m.: Parents from 9 school districts to hold rally in downtown Naperville demanding students return to the classroom

Parents from nine school districts angered their children have not returned to school on a full-time basis are planning a rally in downtown Naperville Sunday that could attract as many as 400 or more people.

The event is to begin at the corner of Webster Street and Douglas Avenue, and the group will walk to the Free Speech Pavilion at the Riverwalk, across from the Nichols Library, organizers said.

Guest speakers will include Paul Vallas, former Chicago Public Schools CEO; state Sen. Darren Bailey, R-Louisville, whos running for governor; and Amy Jacobson, radio talk show host for WIND (560 AM). Some school board and municipal candidates in the April 6 election will also be in attendance.

The school districts are pretty much aligned with not having a plan to bring back kids five days a week, said Sara Forster, a Naperville District 203 parent and one of the people organizing the rally. So we decided it was time to have an event.

6 a.m.: With teachers vaccines up and COVID-19 cases down, some high schools eye plan for near-total reopening.

Volatile parent protests and the dizzying demands of COVID-19-era learning may soon be relegated to the history books at one of Illinois largest high school districts, where officials said Monday that all students with the exception of those whose families demand an exemption will return to school buildings for daily, in-person instruction on April 5.

Were hoping we can start doing almost everything we would in a normal year, said Superintendent David Schuler of Arlington Heights-based Township High School District 214. The reopening will usher in the return of many cherished high school traditions, tentatively including in-person graduation ceremonies for the senior classes.

We picked an April 5 return date because by then, it will be 14 days out from all of our employees having received the second dose of the vaccine, Schuler said, adding that masks will still be required, as well as social distancing to the greatest extent possible.

What is yet to be determined is how many students at District 214s six high schools Rolling Meadows, Elk Grove, Prospect, Hersey, Wheeling and Buffalo Grove will seek an exemption and request remote learning, which the Illinois State Board of Education is asking that schools provide as an option through the remainder of the current school year. Students can seek a medical or household exemption, the district said.

Statewide, as of March 5, only around 356,000 Illinois students are attending school fully in person, with more than 1.3 million enrolled in hybrid plans. An additional 214,000 pupils are still all remote.

Among those still learning remotely full time are the thousands of high school students in Chicago Public Schools. While many suburban secondary schools have resumed or are expanding classrooms offerings, as of Monday, high school students are the only ones in CPS who have not yet been given an in-person option. CPS sixth to eighth graders who chose to return did so for the first time Monday, preceded by some special education and preschool through fifth grade. Officials still aim to reopen high schools this spring and announced Friday they would survey parents on their preferences.

Stay up to date with the latest information on coronavirus with our breaking news alerts.

Here are some recent stories related to COVID-19:

More:

Coronavirus in Illinois updates: Heres what happened March 9 with COVID-19 in the Chicago area - Chicago Tribune