Illinois averaging fewest daily COVID inoculations since January
Illinois is averaging the fewest daily COVID-19 inoculations since January, when doses were much more scarce.
According to Illinois Department of Public Health figures released Tuesday, vaccine providers are averaging 34,765 shots a day over the past week, with 21,958 given in the previous day. At their peak, nearly 132,000 doses of the vaccines were being administered each day statewide.
In recent weeks, national pharmacy chains have been slow to update information about vaccine inoculations into a nationwide system, which could play a part in the decline.
Currently, IDPH records show state vaccine providers have more than 1.8 million doses available. Most public and private vaccination clinics in the state are offering shots to walk-ins without appointments.
The total number of doses administered statewide is 12,260,505.
The dip in the vaccination rate comes despite new efforts to boost vaccine uptake across the state, including a lottery announced late last week that will give away $10 million in cash prizes or scholarships. The first $1 million drawing is July 8, and anyone who's had a first dose is automatically registered in the lottery.
IDPH is reporting nearly 62% of vaccine-eligible residents who are 12 and older have received at least one dose. Children ages 12 to 17 are able to receive only the Pfizer/BioNTech two-dose vaccine. Younger children aren't yet approved for any COVID-19 vaccines.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 70.6% of Illinois residents 18 and older have received at least one dose of the vaccine. Illinois is the only state in the Midwest to reach that threshold, according to the federal data.
Meanwhile, IDPH officials also announced six more COVID-19 deaths, along with 191 new cases diagnosed.
The state's death toll from the virus is 23,165, while 1,389,634 Illinois residents have been infected.
Hospitals throughout Illinois are treating 460 COVID-19 patients, according to IDPH records. Of those hospitalized, 117 are in intensive care.
The state's seven-day case positivity rate is at 0.6%, where it's been for the past five days. Case positivity is the percentage of new cases derived from a batch of tests.