Health experts are urging people to continue taking added precautions amid the spread of the super contagious omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5.
Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic across Illinois today:
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker Tests Positive for COVID
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has tested positive for COVID, his office announced Tuesday.
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"After being notified of several close contacts testing positive for COVID-19, Gov. Pritzker received a positive test result during his routine COVID testing regimen," a statement from his office read.
Officials said Pritzker, who is fully vaccinated and double boosted, is experiencing "mild symptoms" and was prescribed the anti-viral medication Paxlovid.
Read more here.
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COVID Antiviral Paxlovid FAQ's: How It Works, Its Effectiveness, Who's Eligible, and More
While much of the focus in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic was on creating vaccines to help prevent serious illness and infection, companies have also worked to develop medications that can help at-risk populations to avoid hospitalization or even death from the virus.
The drug that has seen the most success since it was authorized on an emergency basis by the CDC has been Pfizer’s Paxlovid treatment, which functions in a similar fashion to the popular antiviral drug Tamiflu.
So how does Paxlovid work? How soon do you need to take it? Who’s even eligible to have it prescribed?
Here’s what we know about the treatment.
What is Long COVID and What Are the Symptoms?
For some who test positive for COVID, symptoms can last much longer as part of a condition known as "long COVID."
Newer variants, including the highly contagious BA.4 and BA.5 omicron subvariants currently making up a majority of cases in the Midwest, are leading to an in increase in those experiencing symptoms, according to Chicago's top doctor.
Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said that while symptoms remain similar to previous cases, there is one noticeable shift.
Read more here.
BA.4, BA.5 and More: Latest Look at Symptoms and What to Expect
With new COVID variants and subvariants behind rising cases in Illinois and other parts of the country, many are wondering if symptoms are changing as more begin to experience them.
Currently, the highly contagious BA.4 and BA.5 omicron subvariants account for most reported cases this summer.
Read more here.
Incubation Period For COVID: How Long Should You Quarantine With Virus?
As COVID-19 cases continue to spread across the Chicago area over the last several weeks, there may be lingering questions over the quarantine period and how long patients are contagious.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 50 Illinois counties are now rated at "high" community level for COVID, including many of the counties around the Chicago metropolitan area. An additional 44 counties throughout the state are now rated at "medium community level.
Read more here.
How Long Can You Test Positive for COVID After Recovering From Virus?
Most people who contract COVID-19 likely won't experience symptoms for more than two weeks at most, but could test positive months following infection.
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, the PCR tests are more likely to continue picking up the virus following infection.
Read more here.
U of I Researchers Seek Patients for ‘Long COVID' Study: Here's Who is Eligible
Researchers at the University of Illinois College of Medicine are collaborating on a landmark study that will look into the causes of so-called “long COVID,” as well as ways to potentially prevent and treat the illness.
According to a press release by the U of I’s campus in Peoria, the work will pair up scientists from the school’s Peoria and Chicago campuses, with $22 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health to back the project.
Read more here.
Why Are New COVID Variants Bringing More Symptoms? Chicago's Top Doc Explains
With more people across the U.S. contracting the highly contagious BA.4 and BA.5 COVID-19 subvariants, doctors are warning of new, additional symptoms related to the virus.
Both BA.4 and BA.5 have caused more upper respiratory, cold and flu-like symptoms, according to Chicago's top doctor, including fever, night sweats and sore throat. Some patients, though not all, are again experiencing a loss of taste and smell.
Some doctors and researchers believe that because these new variants spread so rapidly, they more commonly impact mucosal immunity as opposed to longer-lasting immunity, Chicago Department of Public Health Dr. Allison Arwady explained.
Read more here.
Which COVID Variants Are Currently Spreading in the US? Here's What's Being Tracked Right Now
From omicron to BA.2 to BA.5 to BA.2.75, the list of COVID variants and subvariants continues to grow, but with newer versions outcompeting others, which ones are still around and spreading in the U.S.?
Here's a list of the most common subvariants of omicron currently spreading, according to the CDC, and information on when they originated, the threats that they pose, and what those numbers mean.
The First Thing You Should Do After COVID Diagnosis, According to Chicago's Top Doc
With the spread of several new subvariants of omicron, Chicago’s top doctor is offering advice to residents in the event that they test positive for COVID-19.
Speaking during her weekly “Ask Arwady” session, Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady offered her advice for residents who may test positive for COVID in coming weeks and months, including the very first thing they should do after that diagnosis.
Read more here.
Latest on Super Contagious Omicron Subvariant BA.5
A highly-transmissible mutation of the omicron COVID variant known as BA.5 is raising concerns globally as it continues to gain traction in several countries, sparking new waves of cases and, in some instances, hospitalizations.
The rise in case rates, even as metrics remain uncertain due to at-home COVID test availability, has sparked warnings and renewed calls for masking in some locations.
So what is it about the new variant that makes it particularly concerning and what should you be watching for?
