Two new omicron subvariants are gaining traction in the U.S., and the Midwest, according to recent numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
But what do we know about them, how contagious are they and what do experts expect?
Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic across Illinois today:
COVID Symptoms Timeline: Signs to Expect With the Virus and When
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For those who test positive for COVID-19 and experience symptoms, what signs should you watch for and how long could they last?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, COVID symptoms can appear anywhere from two to 14 days after someone is exposed to the virus. You can end isolation after five full days if you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and your other symptoms have improved.
Read more here.
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2 New Omicron Subvariants Grow in Numbers in Midwest, US: CDC
Two new omicron subvariants known as BA.4 and BA.5 are beginning to take hold in the U.S.
The two subvariants are now among several subvariants, or “sublineages,” of the omicron variant of COVID-19 being tracked by the CDC alongside BA.2.12.1, BA.2, B.1.1.529 and BA 1.1, among others.
"They were previously being included in one of the other subvariants because we are keeping an eye on them," Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said Tuesday.
Read more here.
New Omicron Subvariants: What We Know About BA.4 and BA.5
Two new omicron subvariants known as BA.4 and BA.5 are gaining traction in the U.S., but how transmissible are they and what do we know about them?
Here's a breakdown of the newest mutations and what they could signal in the pandemic.
Dominant Coronavirus Mutant and New Subvariants Contain Ghost of Pandemic Past
The coronavirus mutant that is currently dominant in the United States is a member of the omicron family but scientists say it spreads faster than its omicron predecessors and is adept at escaping immunity.
Why? Because it combines properties of both omicron and delta, the nation's dominant variant in the middle of last year.
A genetic trait that harkens back to the pandemic's past, known as a “delta mutation," appears to allow the virus "to escape pre-existing immunity from vaccination and prior infection, especially if you were infected in the omicron wave," said Dr. Wesley Long, a pathologist at Houston Methodist in Texas. That's because the original omicron strain that swept the world didn’t have the mutation.
Read more here.
You Isolated for COVID, But Still Have a Cough. Are You Still Contagious?
So, you tested negative for COVID-19, but still have a cough. Are you considered contagious?
According to Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady, coughs can linger up to a month after testing positive for the virus even if a patient isn't contagious anymore.
"The cough tends to be what lingers," Arwady said. "That doesn't mean that you're still infectious. It's that you've had a lot of inflammation in your airways and the cough is your body's attempt to sort of continue to expel any potential invader and allow it to calm down. So...I would not consider you contagious."
Read more here.
Novavax COVID Vaccine: What Makes It Different, When It Could Be Authorized
Americans may soon get a new COVID-19 vaccine option -- shots made with a more tried-and-true technology than today’s versions.
Novavax asked the Food and Drug Administration to authorize its COVID-19 vaccine for adults in late-January and after long delays, the FDA is expected to decide within weeks whether to authorize Novavax's vaccine.
So what exactly is Novavax and what should you know about the vaccine? Here's a breakdown.
What to Know About COVID Tests: Accuracy, Inconclusive Results, Faint Lines and More
With COVID cases continuing to rise across Illinois and parts of the U.S. and tests widely available, many are wondering if their results are accurate, if they are reading them properly and how often they should test.
How to Calculate Your COVID Isolation or Quarantine Time, According to the CDC
With several Chicago-area counties under a "high" community level for COVID and more residents testing positive for the virus or being exposed to someone who has, many are wondering how long they should quarantine or isolate.
First, you'll need to know the difference between whether you must quarantine or isolate. Those who believe they have been in contact with someone who has COVID and are unvaccinated should quarantine. Those who test positive, regardless of vaccination status, must isolate, according to the CDC.
For those who are vaccinated, however, the guidelines are slightly different.
Read more here and check out the calculator tool.
COVID Booster Shot Eligibility: Who is Eligible Now for 1st and 2nd Boosters?
As COVID cases rise in Illinois and parts of the U.S. heading into summer, many are wondering which vaccinations they are eligible to receive and when.
Currently, not everyone is eligible for a second COVID booster shot, but experts are urging anyone who has not yet received their first booster dose to get one.
"I really, really want to emphasize as we move into this higher risk state that we need Chicagoans to come up-to-date with boosters," Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said late last month as the city first entered the "high community level."
So who is eligible for which shots and what do we know about what's ahead?
Here's What to Do if You Test Positive for COVID, According to CDC Guidelines
With a recent rise in COVID-19 cases and several Chicago-area counties at a "high" community level, what should you do if you test positive for coronavirus or were exposed to someone who has?
Health officials have issued warnings to take precautions, particularly in areas where transmission risk is increasing.
Here's a look at the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on what to do if you test positive or believe you were exposed to someone who has.
Paxlovid Antiviral COVID Pill: Eligibility, Side Effects and Effectiveness
With a rise in COVID-19 metrics, several Chicago-area counties have entered a "high" alert level under guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
And, according to the CDC, a new subvariant of omicron is the dominant strain of COVID in the U.S., with BA.2.12.1 responsible for nearly 59% of new cases over the last week.
As more cases are reported and the illness continues to spread, many are asking questions about Pfizer's new Paxlovid antiviral COVID-19 pill.
Read more here.
COVID Vaccines for Kids Under 5: When Could Shots Begin? The Latest Timing
With federal regulators set to decide whether or not they plan to authorize COVID vaccines for kids under the age 5 this month, when might parents expect shots to begin?
Families have been for a chance to protect the nation’s littlest kids as highly contagious omicron subvariants continue to spread.
The nation’s 18 million children under 5 are the only age group not yet eligible for vaccination.
Read more here.
How Long Are You Protected After Getting COVID and Can You Get COVID Twice?
If you recently contracted COVID, how long are you protected and are you at risk of getting the virus again?
The question has been asked since the start of the pandemic, but as the virus continues to mutate, the answers have changed.
Omicron, for example, led to a major shift in "natural immunity," with many who had previously been infected susceptible to reinfection with the new version of the virus.
Now, as omicron makes up nearly all U.S. COVID cases, it's a question of how protection from one version of omicron will work against newer subvariants.
Read more here.
How Long Do COVID Symptoms Last? Here's What We Know So Far
For those who test positive for COVID and experience symptoms, how long could they last?
With COVID cases rising in Illinois and parts of the U.S., local health officials have issued warnings to take precautions, particularly in areas where transmission risk is increasing.
But for those who experience symptoms, the length of time they could last remains unclear.
Read more here.
How Accurate Are At-Home COVID Tests? Here's What to Know
If you think you were exposed to COVID or might have it, how accurate are the results of an at-home test?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "positive results from self-tests are highly reliable."
Negative results, however, may not rule out infection, particularly in those with COVID-19 symptoms, the CDC states.
"If it's positive, it's positive, like we don't worry about false positives," Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said Thursday.
Read more here.
How Long Can You Test Positive for COVID Following Infection?
If you test positive for COVID, how long could that last?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some people who contract COVID-19 can have detectable virus for up to three months, but that doesn't mean they are contagious.
When it comes to testing, however, the PCR tests are more likely to continue picking up the virus following infection.
Read more here.
