“The days of vaccine scarcity are over,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Thursday. “Today, we’re initiating the expansion of vaccine administration to physician offices across the state of Illinois, allowing them to become COVID-19 vaccine providers for their patients.”

Illinois is ready to move into the next phase of reopening, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Thursday, and the state could be ready for a full reopening as soon as June 11. What to know about the bridge phase of Illinois’ reopening plan.

Black women are three times more likely to die of pregnancy-related complications than their white counterparts, according to a new report. While that disparity has narrowed, officials say it’s not due to conditions improving for Black women but instead worsening conditions for white women. 

In all, 2,069 cases involving the variant, known as B.1.1.7, have been found in samples of COVID-19 positive tests from Illinois since Jan. 15, officials said.

COVID-19 vaccination cards have become the proverbial golden ticket. But what should you do if you lose it or never get one in the first place? And how do you keep your card safe? Here’s what you need to know. 

A trio of Chicago colleges have already announced they will require students be vaccinated for COVID-19 ahead of the fall semester. On Wednesday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said such a requirement for all college-bound students is “under discussion.”

The Illinois Department of Public Health, the Chicago Department of Public Health and the Cook County Department of Public Health restarted administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on Saturday, as officials said it is safe and effective.

Since Jan. 15, nearly 1,300 cases involving the variant, known as B.1.1.7, have been found in samples of COVID-19 positive tests from Illinois, officials said. 

“Our young adults have a key role to play in bringing this pandemic to an end,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a statement Friday announcing state-supported mass vaccination sites will have appointments available specifically for college students starting this weekend.

In all, 888 cases involving the variant, known as B.1.1.7, have been found in samples of COVID-19 positive tests from Illinois since Jan. 15, officials said. 

The county has seen virus-related hospitalizations increase for 10 consecutive days; and for three days, the availability of intensive care unit beds has dipped below 20%, according to public health data reported Thursday.

The number of coronavirus cases statewide continues to climb as officials reported Friday more than 4,000 new and probable cases, as well as 21 virus-related deaths.

The spread of the U.K. variant is helping to fuel a surge in COVID-19 cases in Chicago and across Illinois, according to Dr. Allison Arwady, the commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health.

A rural Illinois bar opening event in February was linked to a COVID-19 outbreak of at least 46 cases, a school closure and the hospitalization of a long-term care facility resident, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report.

In all, 276 cases involving the United Kingdom variant have been found in samples of COVID-19 positive tests from Illinois since Jan. 15, officials said. 

The final decision on vaccine eligibility remains with local health departments, officials said. That means the change will not expand eligibility in areas of the state, like Chicago and Cook County, where demand for the COVID-19 vaccine continues to far outpace supply.