coronavirus illinois

Illinois Coronavirus Updates: ICU Bed Availability, Testing Questions Answered

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A health care region in Illinois continues to struggle with ICU bed availability, reporting no available beds for the second day in a row.

Plus, what should you know about COVID testing from travel to employment requirements and more?

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

Is Sneezing a Symptom of COVID?

Is sneezing a symptom of COVID?

It's a question many allergy sufferers are wondering this time of year.

With cases of the delta coronavirus variant sparking surges across the country and fall allergy season beginning, it might be hard to distinguish whether your symptoms are from pollen, just a cold or something more.

Here's a full breakdown.

What to Know About COVID Testing: How Long For Results, When to Get Tested

With increased COVID-19 testing across Illinois, more residents have been searching for the latest information on coronavirus testing in the Chicago area.

From how long it takes to receive test results to when health officials recommend to be tested for COVID, here's what we know.

For 2nd Day in a Row, Southern Illinois Health Care Region Has Zero Available ICU Beds Amid COVID Surge

For the second day in a row, one of Illinois’ health care regions has zero available intensive care unit beds amid a surge in COVID cases and hospitalizations.

According to the latest figures from the Illinois Department of Public Health, Region 5, comprised of 20 counties in the southern tip of the state, has zero of its 87 staffed ICU beds available for admission as of Wednesday.

The region has seen its ICU bed availability remain below 10% for more than a month, and hospitalizations have remained elevated even after a steady upward trend in those numbers began to level off at the beginning of September.

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.

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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