BLOOMINGTON — The McLean County Health Department stressed Thursday that it is still awaiting further guidance from the state public health department regarding increased access to third doses of the Pfizer vaccine.
Earlier in the day, advisors to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they recommend the so-called "booster" shots for people aged 65 years and older, those who live in long-term care facilities and people aged 50-64 with underlying health conditions that put them at risk for COVID-related complications.
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Third doses for those 18-49 with chronic medical conditions were also endorsed by a split vote from the Committee on Immunization Practices Thursday.
The CDC doesn't have to follow the committee's advice, even though it usually does and until the CDC makes its own recommendations that get passed to the Illinois Department of Public Health, MCHD said locals should expect access to third doses to remain limited.
"The MCHD is currently only offering first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccine to those who have never received a COVID-19 vaccine or who still need a second dose of a 2-dose series," the agency said in a statement. MCHD also offers "the authorized third dose to those who are (both) moderately to severely immunocompromised and meet the strict CDC clinical criteria to receive an additional dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine."
Interim administrator Cassy Taylor said the goal is to reach people who remain "on the fence" regarding the shot.
Approximately 53.7% of McLean County's overall population is considered fully vaccinated, or about 92,828 people. Of those 65 years and older, 89.7% are fully vaccinated. Data from IDPH as of Thursday showed a total of 184,722 doses of all vaccines have been administered in the county so far.
Another 49 cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in the past day, MCHD said. There have now been 21,793 known COVID cases since last March, 21,036 of which are considered "recovered."
No additional deaths were reported.
Three more McLean County residents were admitted to hospitals either in or outside of the county as COVID patients, bringing that total 33. Between Carle BroMenn and OSF St. Joseph medical centers, two more people have been hospitalized, putting the local total of COVID patients at 30.
Bed capacity remained tight Thursday with MCHD reporting 96% of all intensive care beds in the county as in-use, along with 94% of all, total beds available.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Continuing Pantagraph coverage in the Jelani Day case
Jelani "J.J." Day, 25, was last seen on Aug. 24 entering the Beyond/Hello dispensary in Bloomington. Authorities on Sept. 23 said his body was found in the Illinois River.
Among the attendees is the Rev. Jesse Jackson. This burial comes 10 days after the family held a funeral service at Danville High School to honor the Illinois State University grad student.
Anyone with information on Jelani Day's death is asked to call 815-433-2161.
Hallie Bezner, attorney for Day’s family, also told The Pantagraph: “I think that people read between the lines to try to have some conspiracy that doesn't exist."
State law enforcement officials told The Pantagraph on Sunday that DNA backlogs did not slow down confirmation of the body found in the Illinois River last month as Jelani Day.
Teachers at Danville High School saw great potential in Jelani Day.
During Jelani Day's celebration of life, his four siblings sing a tribute backs by a community choir. READ MORE HERE.
Carmen Bolden Day says to work does not end with laying her son to rest. READ MORE HERE.
“You’re not going to forget his name because I’m not going to let you,” Carmen Bolden Day said on Saturday.
Pantagraph journalists spent last week in Danville speaking to those who knew Day, and they described him as big-hearted, hard-working and on a path to success.
“He will never be forgotten, Dr. Jelani J.J. Day,” mother Carmen Bolden Day said at the event. "They're going to remember Jelani's name forever.”
"Thank you for realizing Jelani was important, not just to us, he was important to everybody," his mother, Carmen Bolden Day, said.
BLOOMINGTON — A change.org petition asking for state and federal authorities to investigate the death of Illinois State University graduate st…
The LaSalle County Sheriff's Office announced this afternoon a person of interest sought by Peru Police has been cleared by investigators and is not a suspect in the case.
Bloomington police Officer John Fermon during a press conference discusses the search for Jelani Day, the Illinois State University student wh…
Missing ISU student identified after body found near Peru. READ MORE HERE.
A body found floating in the Illinois River in LaSalle County has been identified as that of missing Illinois State University graduate studen…
Authorities on Thursday said a body discovered in a river nearly three weeks ago has been confirmed as a graduate student missing from Illinoi…
Jelani Day, a 25-year-old graduate student at ISU, was last seen the morning of Aug. 24 walking into the Beyond / Hello in Bloomington, accord…
"We always say here, see something, hear something, know something, say something. Someone out there has seen, heard or knows something."
The president of Illinois State University during her annual address to the campus community spoke about a graduate student who has been missing.
Search continues for missing Illinois State University; fundraising totals $12,503 to support search
Graduate student Jelani Day was last seen the morning of Aug. 24.
A 25-year-old ISU graduate student remains missing. Here's what we know.
Authorities are investigating after body was recovered Saturday morning from the Illinois River near LaSalle-Peru.
"I want you to know, Jelani is not dead and we will find him," said his mother, speaking to a crowd of supporters on Friday night.
Carmen Bolden Day, mother of missing Illinois State University student Jelani Day, speaks at an event Friday night in support of the search for him.
"I just want to hear him call me and say, 'Mama, I just called you because I want to hear your voice,'" Jelani Day's mother said Wednesday.
Carmen Bolden Day, mother of Jelani Day, recounts the last phone call she had with her son prior to his disappearance. Several people gathered…
Police, family and friends continue to search for Illinois State University graduate student Jelani Day after he went missing last week. He was last on video camera on Aug. 24 at the Bone Student Center on campus.
Bloomington police said Friday that officers are continuing their search for Illinois State University graduate student Jelani J.J. Day, 25, who was reported missing Wednesday by his family.
Jelani J.J. Day was reported missing Wednesday by his family and an Illinois State University faculty member.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson told The Pantagraph he expects as many as 1,000 people to attend a Friday march in Bloomington-Normal for Jelani Day, whose mysterious death has stirred national attention.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson speaks with The Pantagraph Thursday morning about the planned march in Bloomington and Normal for Jelani Day, the Illin…
"We want to gain one thing, and that is justice for Jelani Day," said Cameron Barnes, national youth director with the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
In response to a letter sent this month by state Rep. Kambium Buckner, Peru Police Chief Robert Pyszka said that investigators with the multi-jurisdictional unit gave all files in the case of Jelani Day's death to the FBI.
ISU student Emily Escobedo talks asks for a more thorough investigation into the death of graduate student Jelani Day
The autopsy results released this week in the Jelani Day case have not changed his family’s message.
As part of the 32nd annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, Carmen Bolden Day received the Profile in Courage Award during the Rainbow PUSH Coalition’s virtual presentation.