Southwest IL COVID-19 rates at lowest point since mid-October, full vaccinations at 5k
The metro-east’s COVID-19 seven-day average positivity on Monday dipped to its lowest point since mid-October, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health, as the region hit an early vaccination milestone.
The rate, which is used as a metric by the state to determine whether virus mitigation efforts need to be strengthened or loosened, fell to 7.8% Monday from 8% Sunday, marking the lowest the rate has been since Oct. 19.
Monday’s rate continues a downward trend since the new year started with a 13.2% seven-day average positivity rate. Meanwhile, the region reported a daily positivity rate of 6.9% on Monday, up slightly from 6.4% on Sunday.
The new testing positivity rate is based on data recorded as of Jan. 22. A region’s positivity rate is its percentage of positive COVID-19 tests versus the number of tests taken over a seven-day period.
The metro-east officially received word it would move into Tier 2 restrictions as part of Gov. J.B. Pritzkers Rebuild Illinois plan Friday. The area was the last remaining region in Illinois to remain under the state’s tightest COVID-19 restrictions, known as Tier 3 mitigations.
Region 4 includes St. Clair, Madison, Bond, Clinton, Monroe, Randolph and Washington counties.
Tier 2 still bans indoor service at bars and restaurants, but loosens restrictions on casinos, video gambling, youth sports and museums. If the region meets additional requirements, it could move into Tier 1, which allows indoor dining with the lesser of 25 patrons or 25% capacity.
To move to Tier 1 can happen only when the region meets the following metrics:
- Test positivity rate between 6.5% and 8% for three consecutive days on a seven-day average
- Staffed ICU bed availability must be at 20% or more for three consecutive days on a seven-day average
- No sustained increase in COVID patients in the hospital on a seven-day average for seven of 10 days
As of Monday, 19% of the metro-east’s intensive care unit beds were available for patient use, down from 21% Sunday, according to state health department data. The region’s available staffed hospital bed metrics were not available Monday.
The hospital and ICU bed availability is based on data recorded as of Jan. 24.
Vaccine update
As of Monday, 5,003 people have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in the metro-east’s seven counties, up from 4,967 Sunday. Meanwhile, a total of 27,519 shots have been administered, up from 27,291 the previous day, according to data from the state health department.
Madison County has administered the most vaccines in the region, with a total of 9,661 as of Monday, and had fully vaccinated the most individuals at 1,894.
Vaccinations of healthcare workers and others in the 1A vaccinations group began in mid-December and have been ongoing since. Last week, Randolph County was scheduled to enter 1B vaccinations, which includes people 65 years or older, first responders and some educators. In St. Clair County, people 75 years and up are eligible to begin 1B vaccinations starting Monday.
Vaccinations in Phase 1B will be by appointment only at some pharmacies, as well as state-run and locally-run clinics. More detailed information about locations will be announced at coronavirus.illinois.gov, state officials said Friday.
These are the ways to let your county health department know you are interested in setting up a COVID-19 vaccine appointment when you become eligible:
- St. Clair County: Fill out the COVID-19 Notification for Vaccine Availability form online at health.co.st-clair.il.us. (If you don’t have internet access or need help signing up, call the health department at 618-825-4447.)
- Madison County: Fill out the Madison County Health Department COVID-19 Vaccine Registration Survey online at madisonchd.org.
- Clinton County: Fill out the Clinton County, IL Health Department COVID-19 Vaccine Registry online at clintoncountyhealth.com or call the health department at 618-594-6622 to be added to the vaccine waitlist. (The waitlist is currently only for residents who are 65 years old or older. You don’t need to fill out the form if you already called to get on the waitlist.)
- Monroe County: Sign up for the phone and email alert system CodeRED.
- Randolph County: Call the health department at 618-826-5007 or fill out one of the following vaccine waiting lists: Memorial Hospital COVID-19 Vaccination Sign-Up online at mhchester.com/covidvax; or Red Bud Regional Hospital’s COVID-19 Vaccine Waiting List online at redbudanytime.com. (The waitlists are currently only for residents who are 65 years old or older.)
- Bond County: Fill out the Bond County, IL Health Department COVID-19 Vaccine Registry online at bchd.us to be added to the vaccine waitlist. (The waitlist is currently only for residents who are 65 years old or older, health care workers and frontline essential workers, including teachers, first responders and grocery store employees. You do not need to fill out the form if you already called the health department to get on the waitlist.)
- Washington County: Call the health department at 618-327-3644 to be added to the vaccine waitlist. (The waitlist is currently only for residents who are 65 years old or older.)
Meanwhile, the state reported Monday that roughly 1.08% of its entire population has been fully vaccinated, or 137,990 individuals.
State of Illinois announces new cases, deaths
Meanwhile, the state of Illinois announced 2,944 new COVID-19 cases Monday, bringing the total to 1,104,763. The state health department also announced 49 additional deaths to bring the total to 18,798 since the pandemic began.
Also within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 74,202 new tests have been administered for a total of 15,484,034.
As of Sunday, when the latest data was available, 2,962 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 601 patients were in the ICU, and 302 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total tests from Jan. 18-24 is 4.7%.