COVID-19 positivity rate increased in southwest IL counties. So did vaccinations.

Southwest Illinois counties continued to show an uptick in vaccinations while most COVID-19 positivity rates remained below 8.0% the past week.

Here is a breakdown of vaccine distribution and positivity rate data from Sept. 9-15 in Region 4.

Region 4 vaccinations

According to data released by the state health department on Wednesday, 313,217 Region 4 residents have been fully vaccinated out of the estimated 660,225 who live in the region, or 47.4%. That’s a sharp increase of 4,480 people from the previous week.

Region 4 consists of Bond, Clinton, Madison, Monroe, Randolph, St. Clair and Washington counties.

Overall, Region 4 vaccination numbers had been dropping before an uptick the past two weeks — 8,409 people became fully vaccinated from Aug. 12-18; 4,491 people became fully vaccinated from Aug. 19-25; and 1,518 people became fully vaccinated from Aug. 26-Sept. 1.

From Sept. 2-8, that figure rose back up again to 3,480 before this week’s figure of nearly 4,500.

Madison and St. Clair counties continue to vaccinate the most individuals in Region 4, combining to fully vaccinate 3,589 people the past week, an increase of 755.

Vaccine breakdown by county

Here is the latest vaccination data from Region 4:

• Bond County: 6,488 people have been fully vaccinated, or 39.01% of the population. That’s an increase of 98 people from one week ago.
• Clinton County: 17,726 people have been fully vaccinated, or 47.09% of the population. That’s an increase of 254 people from one week ago.
• Madison County: 129,024 people have been fully vaccinated, or 48.79% of the population. That’s an increase of 1,748 people from one week ago.
• Monroe County: 17,781 people have been fully vaccinated, or 51.79% of the population. That’s an increase of 183 people from one week ago.
• Randolph County: 13,377 people have been fully vaccinated, or 41.67% of the population. That’s an increase of 216 people from one week ago.
• St. Clair County: 122,276 people have been fully vaccinated, or 46.84% of the population. That’s an increase of 1,841 people from one week ago.
• Washington County: 6,545 people have been fully vaccinated, or 46.77% of the population. That’s an increase of 140 people from one week ago.

For state totals, according to Wednesday’s data, 6,896,896 Illinois residents have been fully vaccinated, or 54.13%. That’s an increase of 81,979 of from the previous week, after the state reported 62,432 people became fully vaccinated from Sept. 2-8.

Region 4 positivity rates

The positivity rate for Region 4 as a whole and among its individual counties continues to show promising improvement.

Positivity rate is one key metric the Illinois Department of Public Health measures to determine whether to reinstate restrictions.

Below are some trends for Region 4 from Sept. 9-15, according to data released by the state health department Wednesday.

• The positivity rate for Region 4 only rose slightly from 6.5% to 6.9% this week.
• The Region 4 postivity rate has remained below 8% since Aug. 31.
• Only one county reported a double-digit positivity rate.
• Six counties reported decreases from 30 days ago, as did Region 4 as a whole.
  
  
• Six counties reported single-digit positivity rates.

Here is a more detailed look at the seven-day rate fluctuations for Region 4 counties from one week ago and one month ago, according to the most recent data released by the state health department Wednesday:

• Region 4: 6.9% on Sept. 12; 6.5% on Sept. 5; and 10.3% on Aug. 13.
• Bond County: 5.7% on Sept. 12; 5.9% on Sept. 5; and 6.0% on Aug. 13.
• Clinton County: 4.9% on Sept. 12; 5.4% on Sept. 5; and 9.0% on Aug. 13.
• Madison County: 7.5% on Sept. 12; 6.8% on Sept. 5; and 10.5% on Aug. 13.
• Monroe County: 9.3% on Sept. 12; 8.4% on Sept. 5; and 10.9% on Aug. 13.
• Randolph County: 7.9% on Sept. 12; 5.5% on Sept. 5; and 13.6% on Aug. 13.
• St. Clair County: 6.4% on Sept. 12; 6.3% on Sept. 5; and 9.9% on Aug. 13.
• Washington County: 12.9% on Sept. 12; 11.0% on Sept. 5; and 11.5% on Aug 13.

Region 4’s ICU bed availability still remains a concern, standing at 23% on Wednesday a second straight day, but still inching higher above the threshold line of 20%. That figure was at 21% one week ago and at 20% a month ago.

By contrast, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health, Region 5, located in the southern tip of the state, currently has zero of its 88 staffed intensive care units available.

That region includes the following counties: Alexander, Edwards, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Marion, Massac, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Saline, Union, Wabash, Wayne, White, and Williamson.

This story was originally published September 15, 2021 at 4:07 PM.