Vaccinations at record pace but positivity rate at 10-week high

Illinois is seeing a troubling upward trend in coronavirus cases as the state continues to vaccinate residents at a record pace.

State health officials on Sunday announced 2,942 new and probable COVID-19 cases and an additional 16 virus-related deaths. That brings the state’s pandemic totals to 1,279,772 cases and 21,505 deaths.

Sunday’s new cases were detected among 69,600 tests processed by the Illinois Department of Public Health in the last day. That keeps the statewide seven-day positivity rate at a 10-week high of 4.2%.

Illinois is averaging about 3,204 new cases each day this month, up sharply from the first 11 days of last month when the state recorded a daily average of 1,610.

The rise in cases comes as Illinois is vaccinating more people than ever.

The state injected 131,285 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine Saturday, marking the fifth consecutive day Illinois has inoculated more than 130,000 in a single day.

But just 2.85 million Illinoisans, or just over 22% of the population, have been fully vaccinated, according to the IDPH website. That’s just over 22% of the state’s population.

Illinois is expanding eligibility for the vaccine this week. All residents 16 or older will be eligible for inoculation, starting Monday, though that excludes Chicago providers who won’t expand eligibility to all adults until April 19.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s office announced Sunday that the United Center mass vaccination site will begin to use the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine for walk-in appointments, starting April 20. The United Center drive-thru will continue to inject second doses of Pfizer’s shot into the arms of people who received their first dose at the site.

Appointments are required for the West Side site and will be available beginning Monday. Chicagoans can book appointments at zocdoc.com/vaccine or by calling (312) 746-4835.