Gov. JB Pritzker will have a coronavirus update at noon. I'll live tweet.

Follow for updates and let me know if you have questions.

Coronavirus causing hunger crisis in Chicago: https://blockclubchicago.org/2020/12/23/chicago-is-experiencing-the-biggest-hunger-crisis-in-decades-because-of-coronavirus-and-the-recovery-could-take-years/

Pritzker: Moderna was approved, which is excellent news. "For both of these vaccines, you are required to get two doses, but it's important to remember that experts say you should not mix vaccines."

Pritzker: Your health care provider will keep track of this for you, and you'll get a reminder card after your first dose.

Pritzker: "Remember, we're still in Phase 1A ... and it'll take some time before those vaccinations are completed."

Pritzker: "The vaccine team in Illinois sprinted past them all in Week 1." This week, we're getting 23,400 Pfizer doses, plus 15,600 to Chicago.

Pritzker: 174,600 Moderna doses will arrive today/tomorrow. Chicago will get another 48,000 this week.

Pritzker: "The challenges child care services are seeing are staff calling in sick or staying home to take care of their own families, concerns about community transmission" & families pulling their kids out.

Pritzker: "As we face down this pandemic during this winter, Illinois is going to step in and help all providers and families enrolled in our Child Care Systems Program ... secure a little more stability and flexibility, just as we did in the spring."

Pritzker: Illinois is ready to implement $10 billion in child care support included in Congress' stimulus package.

Dr. Ngozi Ezike, head of the Illinois Department of Public Health: "As we all know, this has been the year that no one dreamed of or asked for. Lives have been lost. Businesses have been turned upside down. And our everyday norms have been interrupted. And hundreds of ...

"thousands of Illinoisans had their health deteriorate at the hands of a deadly virus. I want to thank the Illinoisans who are taking this virus seriously, who listen to public health guidance and practiced mitigation measures that saved many, many lives."

Ezike: This was the year of the essential worker. Some have lost their lives and risked their health in their work.

Ezike: 6,762 new cases, total of over 918,000.
135 new deaths, total of over 15,500.

Ezike: "Yes, there is a long road to go, but we are truly at the beginning of the end. There's still road to cover, but we have to have, have to, have to stay the course. You can't let people who made it this far not make it to the finish line. We've gone too far to turn back ...

"now. The best way to avoid another surge in hospitalizations, another surge in deaths, another surge in new infections is to celebrate the holidays at home with the family that you currently live with. And I know it sounds crazy to ask that yet again, and I know that some of ...

"you will and I know that some of you won't or can't, and for those of you I ask for you to think of additional safety measures that you can employ as you travel, as you gather, that can make the visits somewhat safer than the safest option. For those that are staying home, I ...

"know you have to reflect on this tough year; all of us are reflecting on this tough year and are thinking of our loved ones. But we will make plans for next year and we will hope for many of the people who are here with us" to still be there next year.

Ezike: Keep masking up, staying socially distant, washing your hands, etc. It's not too late to get your flu shot.