The State of Illinois has issued a plan that details the path and metrics required to move to Phase 5, at which time all COVID-19 restrictions will be removed. Below is information on the Bridge to Phase 5, as well as information on vaccinations.
Bridge to Phase 5
On March 18, Governor J.B. Pritzker announced a plan and guidelines to bridge from Phase 4 (current phase) to Phase 5 of the Restore Illinois Plan. According to the announcement, once 70% of residents 65 and older have been vaccinated and barring any reversals in our COVID-10 hospitalizations and deaths for a 28-day monitoring period, the Bridge to Phase 5 will begin with increased capacity limits in both indoor and outdoor settings. Once 50% of residents 16 and older have been vaccinated, and stable or declining COVID-19 metrics are recorded during a 28-day monitoring period, Phase 5 will be implemented and capacity limits will be removed altogether.
While regulations are rolled back gradually, residents should continue to follow public health guidelines including social distancing and mask wearing. See full Bridge to Phase 5 details on the IDPH website.
Vaccination Eligibility
- Individuals who meet Phase 1A (healthcare personnel), Phase 1B (persons 65 years and older, frontline essential workers, or Phase 1B+ (persons 16-64 years with co-morbidities, underlying conditions, or disabilities) are currently eligible for vaccination throughout the State
- Illinois recently announced eligibility for additional vaccination priority groups. As of March 22nd, vaccination eligibility expanded to include higher education staff, government workers and media. Beginning March 29th, eligibility will expand to include food and beverage workers, construction trade workers and religious leaders.
- On April 12th, all Illinois residents ages 16 and up will be eligible for vaccination.
DuPage County Health Department Vaccination Information
DuPage County expanded their vaccination eligibility on March 24th to include Phase 1B+ individuals who were previously not eligible in DuPage County due to limited local availability of vaccines. While the DCHD may still prioritize appointment notifications for those individuals identified as higher risk, such as persons over 65 years, all eligible groups may now register and begin to receive County appointment notifications.
- Vaccine Registration: Residents can sign up with DuPage County to receive the COVD-19 vaccine as well as updates on when and where else their designated groups may begin to receive vaccines at https://dupagehealth.jotform.com/200694254415049.
- Frequently Asked Questions: The DCHD has compiled a list of frequently asked questions related to the vaccine, including “When do I get my vaccine?” This list of questions is updated weekly. Residents are encouraged to review this list to find out more information about the DCHD plan regarding vaccinations.
- Learn More
More information regarding the vaccine is available on the DCHD Vaccine webpage. Watch video presentations from the DuPage County Health Department regarding COVID-19 and vaccination updates.
DuPage County Mass Vaccination Site in Wheaton
The DCHD Community Vaccination Clinic (CVC), is located at the DuPage County Fairgrounds in Wheaton. Through a partnership with the Illinois Department of Public Health, DCHD announced that it will now be able to provide an increased vaccine supply for County residents. This clinic is able to administer more than 1,000 vaccines per day and will operate Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Saturdays, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., depending on vaccination supply. Vaccinations will continue by appointment only. If you or someone you know need help registering for the COVID-19 vaccine, call the Health Department at (630)682-7400 and a representative will assist you.
Additional Mass Vaccination Sites
In addition to the DuPage County Health Department Community Vaccination Site in Wheaton, 11 State Mass Vaccination Sites are now open to all eligible Illinois residents regardless of zip code. Chicagoland locations include Batavia, Tinley Park, Des Plaines, Triton College in River Grove, South Suburban College in South Holland and Forest Park. Appointments are available for Phase 1A, 1B and 1B+ individuals.
All Cook County vaccinations will be available by appointment only, and can be booked by visiting Cook County’s coronavirus vaccination website at www.vaccine.cookcountyil.gov or by calling 833-308-1988, Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Additional Vaccination Opportunities
There are more than 900 vaccination locations in the State of Illinois. For a complete list of statewide vaccination locations, please visit https://coronavirus.illinois.gov/s/vaccination-location. In addition to the locations listed here individuals who wish to access a COVID-19 vaccine are encouraged to register with the County of their residence, the County of their employment, their medical provider, local hospital networks, and multiple pharmacy providers.
Keep Moving in the Right Direction!
In order to move to Phase 5, Region 8’s progress in the fight against COVID-19 must continue. In order to continue to keep moving in the right direction, it is up to each one of us to take personal action to slow the spread of illness.
Safety Precautions Continue for Vaccinated Individuals
For now, if you’ve been fully vaccinated, you should still take steps to protect yourself and others in many situations. Precautions include wearing a mask, staying at least 6 feet apart from others, and avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces.
To help protect those that have not yet been vaccinated, the CDC recommends that you continue to take these precautions in the following situations:
- When you are in public
- Gathering with unvaccinated people from more than one other household
- Visiting with an unvaccinated person who is at increased risk of severe illness or death from COVID-19 or who lives with a person at increased risk
- You should still avoid medium or large-sized gatherings
Additional Precautions
- You should still delay domestic and international travel. If you do travel, you’ll still need to follow CDC requirements and recommendations.
- You should still watch out for symptoms of COVID-19, especially if you’ve been around someone who is sick. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, you should get tested and stay home and away from others.
- You will still need to follow guidance at your workplace.
DuPage County Health Department Map
The DuPage County Health Department COVID-19 dashboard, shows the number of lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases in each municipality. As of March 24, 2021, there have been a total of 4,087 lab confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Lombard.