Health officials urge residents to “spread joy, not COVID” in the excitement of vaccines | Chicago News

Dr. Alison Alwadi, Director of Public Health, Chicago, will speak on Tuesday, December 22, 2020, at a press conference on the coronavirus between Dr. Goji Ejike, Director of Public Health, Illinois, and General Jerome Adams, a US surgeon. (WTTW News)

Just a few days before Christmas, Illinois public health officials called on people to follow guidance designed to stop the spread of COVID-19, even though two coronavirus vaccines have been distributed nationwide. I have.

“Vaccines give us amazing hope, but it needs to be combined with the methods we already know,” Dr. Alison Alwadi, Director of Public Health, Chicago, said at a press conference on Tuesday. .. “Please spread the joy, not the COVID. Even if we are all excited about the deployment of this vaccine, please continue to pay attention.”

last week, 5 Chicago Doctors and Nurses He was one of the first to receive Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. Due to limited supply, initial vaccinations are limited to health care workers and care facilities. It will take several months to complete, according to people involved in the process.

State health officials reported 6,239 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, and 116 additional deaths, including 41 Cook County residents.

According to the Illinois Public Health Service, there have been 911,308 cases and 15,414 deaths since the first COVID-19 infection was reported in Illinois in late January.

Complete coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic from WTTW News..

Many states avoided the post-Thanksgiving surge, but the number of incidents surged in Chicago, Alwadi said. Since then, the city’s positive rate and number of cases have declined, but not enough, she said. On average, 1,276 Chicago citizens test positive for the virus daily, with the city’s positive rate remaining at 10.2%, according to Arwady.

The state-wide provisional positive rate for 7 days of cases was 7.4%, down from 8.6% a week ago. According to state health authorities..

General Jerome Adams, a US surgeon who visited St. Anthony Hospital on the southwestern side of the city on Tuesday morning, urged people to “stay on course” a little longer while the vaccine was distributed.

“I can’t stop running because I can see the finish line,” Adams said. “Vigilance is very important. I need to practice the four Ws I’m talking about. Wear a mask, wash your hands, monitor your distance and wait for them to get together.”

Governor JB Pritzker imposed restrictions on the entire state on November 20 as cases of coronavirus surged.rule Limited gathering At the homes of members of the same household; closed museums, casinos, theaters. Most stores have been reduced to 25% capacity, and grocery stores can now operate up to 50% capacity.

Chicago Curfew until January 10th..

“When people come from outside the family, it’s more likely that the virus will spread to others and to yourself,” says Adams.

Adams admits that some people still get together during the holidays, Follow the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention By wearing a mask, avoiding singing and screaming, and keeping the rally small.

Adams knows that people are experiencing pandemic malaise, but said everyone hopes to be vaccinated when it becomes available.

Last week Adams was one of several Federal authorities publicly receiving the first dose Of the vaccine made by Pfizer. Adams said his arm hurt a day or two after vaccination, but had no other side effects.

He admitted that some people may experience headaches and malaise after vaccination, but he said it was normal. “It’s about producing antibodies in a way that your body responds to the vaccine and expects it to respond,” he said.

Allergic reactions associated with coronavirus vaccine According to Adams, it’s neither unusual nor unexpected. The vaccine is given in a healthcare environment where people can be monitored and cared for as needed, he said.

Adams addressed vaccine hesitation and skepticism, saying “I hate people not taking this opportunity because of false information.”

At a press conference on Tuesday, Alwadi uncovered some common myths about vaccines by explaining what they contain and what they don’t.

According to Arwady, both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines contain the active ingredient, messenger RNA (or mRNA). Pfizer’s vaccine contains four salts, including four fats, sugar, and salt, which help deliver mRNA.

“There are no antibiotics. There are no preservatives,” she said. The vaccine does not contain proteins, blood products, pork products, fetal cells, microchips, or nanotechnology, she added.

Adams encouraged people to do vaccine research. “It’s perfectly fine to ask about vaccines. What’s wrong is that the wrong information makes bad decisions about your health and the health of your community,” he said. “I hope you get the facts and then you get the vax.”

To date, more than 63,000 people have been vaccinated against the coronavirus vaccine in Illinois (excluding Chicago). According to figures released on Monday night, the state will receive approximately 60,450 doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Most of the dose is allocated for use in state care facilities, and approximately 20,000 doses will be shipped directly to hospitals this week to vaccinate health care workers. Vaccinations for long-term care facilities will begin in the week of December 28, in partnership with CVS and Walgreens.

State health officials will also receive approximately 174,000 doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday and Thursday.

According to Arwady, Chicago vaccinated Pfizer 23,400 times last week and began vaccination of staff at all 35 hospitals in the city. As of Monday, 12,736 Chicago citizens received the first dose of the vaccine. To CDPH data..

Contact Kristen Thometz: @kristenthometz | (773) 509-5452 | [email protected]