One County In Illinois Has Nearly All of Their Seniors Vaccinated

(AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)

After significant decreases in cases, deaths, and hospitalizations related to COVID-19, IDPH is monitoring key indicators to identify early but significant increases of virus transmission in Illinois, potentially signifying resurgence. These indicators are calculated for the entire state. IDPH will monitor if these indicators show an increase in the COVID-19 disease burden with a simultaneous decrease in hospital capacity. These indicators can be used to determine whether Illinois moves into the bridge phase and Phase 5 respectively.

Indicators are calculated daily for Illinois based on the most current, complete data. Each indicator is monitored for the trend over 28 days to evaluate the COVID-19 disease burden and hospital resource capacity. By applying the same metrics across Illinois, IDPH uses a standardized approach to monitor the state as a whole.

IDPH will continue to track the vaccinations rates and hospital capacity metrics, mortality, and case rates over 28-day monitoring periods to determine if the state can move into the bridge phase or Phase 5.

Illinois will move to the bridge phase when 70% of the population 65 years and older has received at least one dose of vaccine, and to Phase 5 when 50% of the population 16 years and older has received at least one dose of vaccine. In addition, when moving to both the bridge phase and Phase 5, hospital ICU bed availability needs to be higher than 20%, and new COVID-19 hospital admissions, total COVID-19 patients in the hospital, and death rates are not increasing significantly statewide over the most recent 28 days.

Illinois could move back to the bridge phase or Phase 4, if over 10 days the rate of new cases significantly increases and at least one of the following is true: hospital ICU availability is below 20% , there is a significant increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations, total COVID-19 patients in the hospital, or deaths. New evidence concerning variants, vaccine effectiveness, or waning immunity could substantially and quickly increase COVID-19 hospitalizations or deaths and will be taken into consideration, in addition to the metrics being monitored.

Peoria County has the greatest percentage of seniors vaccinated with at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine with 91.85% and 23.19% for those between 16 and 64. Will County is in the middle with 58.10% of seniors vaccinated age 65 and up and 17.51% for those between 16-64.