Officials say theyre ready to distribute COVID-19 vaccine in Illinois if its approved this week – WGN TV Chicago

CHICAGO Illinois officials said they are prepared to launch the states COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan Monday, as Pfizers vaccine nears emergency use approval from the FDA.

We are likely to see hundreds of thousands of doses coming to Illinois during the month of December, Governor JB Pritzker said Monday.

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, the state would receive an initial 109,000 doses of the vaccine as early as next week if it is approved.

The first allocation of the vaccine will go to the 50 counties with the highest numbers of death per capita. In the Chicago area that includes Cook, Lake, DuPage, Kane and Will counties.

Under phase one of the distribution plan, front-line health care workers and long-term care residents will be the first to be innoculated.

But the first shipment of 109,000 doses are a fraction of what the state needs. Illinois has more than 760,000 front-line health care workers and long-term care residents.

There are so many moving parts, and no matter what plan we put forth there are going to be holes poked in it and there is no perfect plan, IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said.

Starting week two, residents of long term care facilities will receive the remaining 23,000 doses.

The FDA is also considering emergency use approval of Modernas COVID-19 vaccine, which Illinois can potentially have access to the week of Christmas if approved.

The first hospitals to receive vaccine doses include Northshore Highland Park Hospital, Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn and Sherman Hospital in Elgin.

The City of Chicago will operate its own distribution plan with 23,000 initial doses of the vaccine.

Chicago remains under a stay-at-home advisory, which Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she believes is making a difference Sunday.

Were still nervously watching the numbers to see if theres going to be a post-Thanksgiving surge, Lightfoot said.

OHare Airport is playing a big role as well, as both United and American Airlines are transporting vaccines stored in ultra-cold freezer containers.

Lightfoot said first responders and essential workers will be vaccinated next in phase two of the distribution plan.

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Officials say theyre ready to distribute COVID-19 vaccine in Illinois if its approved this week - WGN TV Chicago