SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS (KMOX) - Illinois Department of Public Health Director, Dr. Ngozi Ezike says people should trust the new coronavirus vaccine, once it becomes available. "The review of laboratory and clinical data that is use to assure the safety and effectiveness of any vaccine is still being followed." She said in Monday's daily COVID update. Pfizer and Germany's BioNTech are the first to announce completion of Phase 3 trials for a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. They did so despite not being involved in the Trump Administration's Operation: Warp Speed, saying they had not taken any money from any government anywhere.
The head of Illinois' health department went on to say the state needs people to get over their hesitancy once the vaccine is available. "We can have hundreds of millions of doses of vaccine in the world, but if they don't get into the arms of people, it's not helpful." She understands some don't trust vaccines for various reasons, but the process has not been rushed.
Dr. Ezike's comments came as she announced Monday another 10,573 newly confirmed coronavirus cases across the state. Governor J.B. Pritzker also announced three regions of the state - Southern Illinois and two suburbs of Chicago - will go to Tier Two restrictions starting Wednesday. That includes limiting gathers both indoors and outdoors to no more than ten people.
NOTES ON THE VIRUS:
"Coronavirus" refers to any number of spherical virus with spike proteins, including many varieties of the common cold. They look similar to crowns, or coronas, under a microscope.
"Novel coronavirus" is used to describe the new - or novel - virus now causing the global pandemic.
"COVID-19" is the actual sickness someone gets after being infected with SARS-CoV-2. It stands for Corona Virus Disease, and the 19 refers to 2019, the year it was discovered.
"SARS-CoV-2" is the actual virus itself. The name is short for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, Corona Virus 2. The number differentiates it from the SARS virus identified in 2003.
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