CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker spent much of his daily COVID-19 briefing Tuesday trying to instill public confidence in a COVID-19 vaccine, and he used someone with firsthand experience for help.
Pritzker told reporters he understands that there are plenty of questions about a potential vaccine. Federal regulators could grant emergency approval within days.
"I've said it before and I'll say it again. Illinois will only distribute a vaccine that is deemed safe," he said.
He noted Pfizer's trial runs have revealed a vaccine with a 95% efficacy rate.
"Almost all patients experienced little to no undesirable side effects from the vaccine," Pritzker said. "Pfizer reported that the most severe effects that people experienced were fatigue and headache."
Bonnie Blue, a 68-year-old with severe asthma, was one of the first local participants of a similar Moderna vaccine trial.
"When the vaccines become available, please take it," she said via Zoom. "Do your research. Find out more about it. Don't just take my word for it."
Illinois officials are trying to keep the lid on a second wave of coronavirus here as the first vaccines are set to emerge. On Tuesday, the state's health agency reported 7,910 new cases of confirmed or probable coronavirus and 145 additional deaths.
