Emily Bollinger / WGLT
Larry Sears has been on a wild goose chase this week.
The 75-year-old retired teacher from Normal wants his first COVID vaccine dose and he is eligible to get one. So he’s stalking the McLean County Health Department website. He stayed up till midnight hoping to be first in the digital line for an appointment at Hy-Vee. He checked in with his doctor’s office.
But he hasn’t had any luck yet, even though many of his friends have.
“I’m not begrudging them as being lucky enough to get that done, but it’s making my patience wear very thin for myself because I can’t get it done, and I don’t consider myself as someone who is inept,” said Sears, who has a heart arrhythmia known as AFib. “It’s a mess.”
Emily Bollinger / WGLT
The McLean County Health Department (MCHD) on Monday reported 133 new confirmed and probable cases, as the rolling testing positivity rate dropped to 5.4% the lowest level since Nov. 1.
Hospitalizations and bed capacity held mostly steady over the weekend. There are 22 people from McLean County hospitalized with COVID-19. That’s one more patient than Friday. About one in five hospital beds are available (21%). That includes more than 30% of intensive care beds.
The active caseload sits at 561, with 539 people isolating at home. An additional 175 people are now considered recovered.
More than 8,000 COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in McLean County, according to health department Administrator Jessica McKnight. That’s up about 500 over the weekend.
McLean County will start COVID vaccinations next week for those in Phase 1b which includes essential workers and people 65 and older. That’s one week ahead
The McLean County Board of Health met Wednesday, January 13, 2021
As Illinois COVID-19 vaccine distribution begins its next phase Monday, many older residents and essential workers are eager to get their shots, officials said at Wednesday s meeting of the McLean County Board of Health.
Currently, in Phase 1a, only health care workers and nursing home residents can be vaccinated against the coronavirus. But the department is readying for Phase 1b, said Jessica McKnight, McLean County Health Department administrator.
In this next phase, people 65 and older and everyone from educators to grocery store clerks, will be able to access the vaccine. A full list of eligibity criteria is on the department s website.
Hospital beds in Bloomington-Normal have reached 92% capacity, even as the number of McLean County residents hospitalized due to coronavirus complications