First COVID vaccine shipment arrives at Illinois Strategic National Stockpile

Posted on December 14, 2020
Illinois received approximately 43,000 doses in the first shipment and expects additional shipments in the coming weeks. (Twitter/ Governor JB Pritzker)

 

By Neil Doyle

SPRINGFIELD – The state received its first shipment of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine Monday at the Illinois Strategic National Stockpile.

Illinois received approximately 43,000 doses in the first shipment and expects additional shipments in the coming weeks. The vast majority of doses in this shipment will be delivered from the SNS to Regional Hospital Coordination Centers around the state that will serve as pick up locations for local health departments to begin distribution to healthcare workers in their jurisdictions, with the remaining portion going directly to predetermined local health department(s).

Chicago received a direct shipment from the federal government today as well. Four additional local health departments around the state will also receive direct shipments from the federal government later this week: Cook County Department of Public Health, Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center, Madison County Health Department, and St. Clair County Health Department. These direct shipments account for the state’s initial expected allocation of 100,000 doses.

“Today marks a momentous occasion – not just this year, but in American history. Eleven months after scientists the world over first got their hands on the genetic sequence of this virus – and we are seeing the beginning of the end of this pandemic,” said Gov. JB Pritzker in a news release.

Neil Doyle can be reached at [email protected]

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