ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — For Gov. J.B. Pritzker, these recents days have been pretty good.
"Folks, this is an exciting day."
The governor said Illinois is poised to fewer restrictions and more vaccinations in the days ahead.
But for Rock Island County, these recent days could have been better.
"We do not want to have a week like this again," said Rock Island County Health Department Chief Operating Officer Janet Hill.
The County saw some snags in its vaccination clinics after computer issues left many vaccination appointments unfilled and a shipment of a different vaccine forced nursing staffs to scramble.
At the heart of it all are the COVID-19 vaccines.
"During the week of March 29th, the federal government is projecting a significant increase in weekly supply," declared Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds.
"Potentially, 20 million doses nationwide which could include four to six million doses of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine."
As Iowa and Illinois see declining infections and hospitalizations, and increasing doses of three different vaccines, each state is moving toward a Spring that could mean fewer restrictions.
"It's time to cautiously move toward normalcy," said Gov. Pritzker.
Rock Island County says it's ready.
"We've been doing roughly 800 a day, and that's based upon our vaccine availability," said Hill during an appearance on "News 8 This Week with Jim Mertens".
"Once we get more vaccine we can easily surge to a thousand or 11 hundred a day do that would be a huge increase each week."
Listen to our entire interview with Rock Island County Health Chief Operating Officer Janet Hill on the THIS WEEK PODCAST.
The Pritzker administration said almost six out of every 10 Illinois seniors have received a vaccine shot.
Almost three in every 10 Illinois adult has gotten a shot as well.
Those are just two of the metrics the state is using to create what it calls a bridge to normalcy.
It's a 28-day purgatory of sorts when Illinois will monitor all the numbers and decide if all the COVID restrictions can be removed.
Well, almost all.
"We will continue to wear our masks," declared Dr. Ngozi Ezike, Illinois Public Health Director.
"We will absolutely not have any mask burning parties. We in Illinois know the importance of masks."
You can watch "News 8 THIS WEEK with Jim Mertens" Sunday mornings at 10 on WQAD News 8.