coronavirus illinois

Illinois Coronavirus Updates: 1 Region Has No Available ICU Beds, How Chicago Hospitals Treat COVID

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A health care region in Illinois, covering nearly two dozen of the state's 102 counties, has no intensive care unit beds available.

Plus, NBC 5 took a deeper look into treatment options for COVID patients at Chicago hospitals and the policies on the use of a controversial drug.

Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic across Illinois today:

Southern Illinois Health Care Region Has Zero ICU Beds Available Amid COVID Surge: IDPH

A health care region in southern Illinois that covers 20 of the state’s 102 counties has zero intensive care units beds available as of Tuesday, posing a significant issue for a region that’s been hard hit by a surge in COVID cases.

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, Region 5, located in the southern tip of the state, currently has zero of its 88 staffed intensive care units available.

Read more here.

Spotlight Shines on How Chicago Hospitals are Treating COVID-19

Following the death of a Chicago COVID patient at the center of a debate surrounding the use of the drug ivermectin, NBC 5 is looking into treatment methods currently being used in local hospitals.

Ivermectin is FDA approved to treat some infections caused by parasites but has not been approved for use in preventing or treating COVID-19, which is a virus caused by SARS-CoV-2.

Here's a look at the treatment options currently being used.

With Eviction Ban Ending Soon, Illinoisans Rely On Rental Assistance To Fend Off Homelessness

It’s been said before, but this time it is likely for real: An end to the ban on residential evictions, put in place across the state of Illinois due to the coronavirus pandemic, is near.

After the U.S. Supreme Court shot down the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s nationwide ban on evictions, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced earlier this month that the current statewide ban -- the only thing standing between countless Illinois tenants and possible homelessness -- will now end Oct. 3.

This has sent some tenants and landlords scrambling to apply for federal assistance funding in the final hour.

Read more here.

Chicago's Top Doctor Addresses Vaccine Questions Sparked by Nicki Minaj Tweet

A tweet from Nicki Minaj sparked questions and concerns from many, spreading what experts say was misinformation about the coronavirus vaccine.

Since COVID vaccinations began, experts have sought to debunk certain claims about the vaccine and fertility and pregnancy.

But on Monday, Minaj tweeted that her cousin in Trinidad, where the singer is from, "won’t get the vaccine cuz his friend got it & became impotent. His testicles became swollen."

Chicago's top doctor addressed Minaj's tweet directly during a Facebook Live Tuesday.

Read more here.

Connecticut, D.C. Removed From Chicago's Travel Advisory

Connecticut and the District of Columbia were removed from Chicago's travel advisory, city officials announced Tuesday, marking the only locations to not be listed under the "orange" category of the travel guidance.

Last week, the advisory was updated to include every U.S. state, making Vermont the final location to be added to the city's warning list, which recommends unvaccinated travelers from such locations test negative for COVID-19 and quarantine.

In its previous update, city officials noted that two states – New Hampshire and Connecticut – as well as the District of Columbia, saw their case rates fall below the threshold, but they were not yet removed from the advisory as they needed to keep their levels low for two consecutive weeks.

New Hampshire remained on the list Tuesday, however.

Read more here.

Moderna vs. Pfizer: Is One Vaccine Stronger Against Delta Variant?

With many now able to choose which COVID vaccine they receive, questions surrounding which offers better protection against the now-surging delta variant have spiked.

Several studies have been conducted to determine vaccine effectiveness, but is one vaccine actually better than the others?

According to medical experts, the three vaccines currently available in the U.S. each offer protection.

Here's a breakdown of what we know so far about each vaccine.

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