PEORIA, Ill. – The head of the Peoria City/County Health Department says some local residents may be closer to getting booster COVID-19 vaccines.
Public Health Administrator Monica Hendrickson says with a Moderna booster being recommended for approval for those 65 and older and those with the potential for severe illness, Pfizer’s vaccine already approved, and Johnson and Johnson probably not far behind, it’s time to play the waiting game.
“With this time, we expect to have the CDC make recommendations about the boosters for both Moderna and Johnson and Johnson around October 20 and 21,” said Hendrickson. “So, operationally, we should look after that to be able to start providing it in our communities.”
Hendrickson says administering the booster shots should hopefully go just as easily, no matter what dose you get.
“Both Moderna and Johnson and Johnson actually approached the FDA using what the CDC had granted Pfizer as a starting point,” said Hendrickson. “[Thursday], that advisory committee aligned the same criteria that Pfizer was accepted on, for Moderna.”
In the last week, the Tri-County area saw an increase of 449 confirmed COVID-19 cases, taking the total to 53,061. Peoria and Tazewell Counties reported three deaths each in the last week, taking the Tri-County total to 823.
Thirteen ICU beds are currently in use for COVID patients at local hospitals, while 50 non-ICU beds also are.
Of current active cases in Peoria County, Hendrickson says two-thirds of cases are under the age of 39. Sixteen percent of the cases are in each of the 0-9, 10-19, 20-29, and 30-39 age groups.
More and more people in Peoria County are getting vaccinated, but the number still hovers at roughly half the population.
In the latest report from local health officials, just under 52-percent of the local population is protected by vaccines.
