With two COVID-19 vaccines clearing FDA approval and eventually heading out to the general public, Illinois health officials want more people available to give the shot.
The director of the Illinois Department of Public health, Dr. Ngozi Ezike, has issued a proclamation modifying the scope of practice for both advanced and intermediate emergency medical technicians. This will allow more EMT’s to be able to administer COVID-19 and flu vaccines.
“Our traditional health care partners, such as hospitals, local health departments and clinics of course will be providing vaccinations, but we are also looking at additional health care workers who can lend a hand to this large vaccination effort,” said Ezike.
Seventeen thousand health care workers in Illinois have now received the Pfizer vaccine. The first shipment of the Moderna vaccine is due in Illinois next week.
“This is yet another very very exciting development, and it brightens the light at the end of the tunnel,” said Governor J.B. Pritzker.
Once you get a COVID-19 shot, how do you prove it? Ezike said with every vaccination there will be a card.
“There’s a card where the provider will write their name, the lot number, the manufacturer, the date you got it and the date you are supposed to return,” said Ezike.
There will also be a state immunization registry that will keep track of every dose administered.
IDPH on Friday reported 7,377 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19, as well as 181 additional deaths. Over the past week, Illinois is averaging 138 per day.
Since the start of the pandemic, IDPH has reported a total of 886,805 coronavirus cases and 15,015 deaths.