CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- "When," is the question people are asking. "When can I be vaccinated?" And like with so many other aspects of the pandemic, the short answer is, "we don't know."
States are not getting the number of doses that they were promised, at least not yet.
For Illinois, Governor Pritzker said the second shipment has been cut in half.
"Previously federal authorities had notified us that they planned to ship out nearly 8 million Pfizer vaccine doses to states large cities and territories across the country next week. However, as of this morning, I was disappointed to learn that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services informed us that, per the direction of Operation Workspeed [Chief Operating Officer] General Gus Perna, that estimate was tightened significantly down to 4.3 million doses shipped nationally next week," Pritzker said.
He said the reduced number is also for the following week.
"Originally projected for another 8.8 million doses is also now scheduled to be 4.3. million doses. This development will likely cut our state's projected Pfizer shipments this month by roughly half," Pritzker said. "The same is true across the rest of the nation.
"Everybody at every level of government cares deeply about making sure that we're protecting as many people as quickly as we can, so I don't want to express frustration with this...We need to recognize that this is a complex process, and it's being handled as best it can be."
Pritzker noted that it doesn't affect vaccine shipments "that already arrived at our Strategic National Stockpile on Monday. As part of our initial 109,000 doses for this week, shipments to regional destinations across the state, remain on schedule."
No reason has been given by federal officials. It's the same everywhere. Indiana has also learned it's getting fewer doses, but Governor Eric Holcomb is expressing optimism.
"We are looking at the light at the end of the tunnel," he said.
Indiana's Health Commissioner, Dr. Kristina Box, was nearly brought to tears, watching a video of people being vaccinated.
"When we received reports of the vaccine first hitting out state and first going in arms, and then pictures showing people actually getting it has just been overwhelming for all of us," she said.
Public health officials are asking for patience, and no changes in precautions as we move into this new stage.
"This is the largest vaccine effort in the history of the state, in the history of the United States of America, and I would say in the history of the world. It requires an enormous coordination of effort," Dr. Box said.
