As COVID-19 cases hit new low, Illinois tops Midwestern states for one or more shots
New cases of COVID-19 numbered 244 Monday, reflecting a low not seen since late March 2020, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported.
The seven-day COVID-19 case positivity rate is 1.1% with Sunday's and Monday's daily rates hovering below 1%. If trends continue, the state's positivity rate average could soon dip under 1% for the first time in the pandemic.
Yet, 14 more people died, including a 7-year-old girl who also suffered from leukemia, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. The others who died were between 40 and 89, IDPH reported.
Vaccination tallies remain tepid statewide. On Sunday, 33,407 more COVID-19 shots were administered. The seven-day average is 39,048.
But compared to seven neighboring states, Illinois leads the pack in terms of adults who have received at least one vaccine dose, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control data, with 68.2% of Illinoisans age 18 and older having gotten at least one shot.
That's followed by Minnesota with 68%. Third is Wisconsin with 63.4%, Iowa with 62%, Michigan with 60%, Kentucky with 58.8%, Ohio with 57.4% and Indiana with 53.4%.
President Joe Biden has set a goal for 70% of Americans to be at least partially vaccinated by July 1. On Monday, the CDC said new research shows that Pfizer's and Moderna's two-dose vaccines reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19 by 91%.
In addition, people who had one COVID-19 shot or were fully inoculated got well faster in rare instances when they were infected, the agency said.
"Fully vaccinated people who still get COVID-19 are likely to have milder, shorter illness and appear to be less likely to spread the virus to others," CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said in a statement. "These benefits are another important reason to get vaccinated."
The federal government has delivered 13,900,965 doses of vaccine to Illinois since distribution began in mid-December, and 11,664,700 shots have been administered.
So far, 5,577,098 people - 43.8% of Illinois' entire population - are fully vaccinated. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two doses several weeks apart.
Illinois hospitals were treating 788 COVID-19 patients Sunday night.
Total cases statewide stand at 1,385,489, and 22,963 Illinoisans have died since the pandemic began.
Labs processed 27,348 virus tests in the last 24 hours. COVID-19 data announced Monday can reflect delays in reporting from the weekend. On March 24, 2020, the state recorded 252 new infections.
The Lake County Health Department will offer COVID-19 vaccinations for everyone age 12 and older from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday at Mundelein High School, 1350 W. Hawley St. For appointments, go to allvax.lakecohealth.org.
The Salvation Army and IDPH will hold a walk-in COVID-19 vaccination clinic for those 18 and older with Johnson & Johnson's one-dose shot from 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday at the Oakbrook Terrace Corps Community Center, 1 S. 415 Summit Ave., Villa Park.
Free Pfizer vaccines will be given June 12 at the Mount Prospect RecPlex, 420 W. Dempster St., with registration at bit.ly/3v1JZwY. Appointments for a second dose July 10 will be made at the time of the vaccination. The event for those age 12 and up is sponsored by the Mount Prospect Park District, Mount Prospect Public Library, village of Mount Prospect Human Services Department, state Rep. Mark Walker and state Sen. Ann Gillespie.