coronavirus illinois

Illinois Coronavirus Updates: Parosmia After COVID, Biden to Visit Chicago This Week

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One woman's lingering side effects from contracting COVID-19 have transformed into something she never anticipated - a lesser-known condition that is now a reality of thousands of others.

Plus, with millions now eligible for booster shots of the Pfizer vaccine, what are the potential side effects with the added dose?

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

Biden Set to Visit Chicago This Week, ‘Highlight' Vaccine Mandates

President Joe Biden is expected to visit Chicago this week to "highlight the importance of COVID-19 vaccine requirements for businesses," the White House confirmed Thursday.

Biden's visit is slated to take place on Wednesday.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports the visit will spotlight a Chicago business enforcing a vaccine mandate.

Details here.

‘Like Spoiled Milk': COVID Side Effect Distorts Woman's Sense of Smell

In the first few months following Alyssa Bergamini’s COVID diagnosis, she suffered from anosmia, meaning she couldn't taste or smell a thing.

Now the condition has transformed into parosmia, meaning her sense of smell is distorted, a reality for thousands of people suffering from some of the lingering, lesser-known side effects of the coronavirus.

And the smell, Bergamini said, is unpleasant.

Read her full story here.

11-Year-Old Boy Has Emotional Reunion With Best Friend After ‘Hard' Separation Due to COVID

Heartwarming video shows an emotional reunion Friday between two boys who were separated after one moved away and the coronavirus pandemic swept through the nation.

Heartwarming video shows an emotional reunion Friday between two boys who were separated after one moved away and the coronavirus pandemic swept through the nation.

Three years ago, 11-year-old Stevie from Chicago was separated from Owen when his best friend moved to Missouri with his family.

"The separation compounded by COVID has been hard on both boys," said Diane Stroud, Stevie's mom.

Watch the video above or click here for more.

What Are the Side Effects, Risks of Pfizer's COVID Booster Shot?

As more people become eligible for Pfizer's COVID-19 booster shot, some are wondering about potential side effects with the next vaccine dose.

Among those who stand to benefit from a booster, there are few risks, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concluded.

Serious side effects from the first two Pfizer doses are exceedingly rare, including heart inflammation that sometimes occurs in younger men. Data from Israel, which has given nearly 3 million people — mostly 60 and older — a third Pfizer dose, has uncovered no red flags.

A small number of people have experienced a severe allergic reaction to the vaccine, like anaphylaxis, which would occur during the 15 to 30 minutes patients wait after the injection.

The CDC has noted that side effects with the third shot "were similar to that of the two-dose series."

More details here.

Illinois Aligns With CDC Guidance for COVID Vaccine Booster Shots

The Illinois Department of Public Health said Friday it is adopting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommendations for eligible people to receive a booster shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in Illinois.

“While the vaccines continue to be highly effective at preventing severe illnesses, hospitalization, death, as we learn more about COVID-19 and the science evolves, so too must our recommendations,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike in a statement.

Read more here.

Coronavirus by the Numbers: More Than 250 COVID Outbreaks Reported in Illinois Schools

More than 250 coronavirus outbreaks have been reported at schools across Illinois, with several involving more than a dozen cases at educational institutions, according to statewide data.

The latest figures from the Illinois Department of Public Health show 257 outbreaks are active at Illinois schools as of Friday, including 31 in Cook County alone.

Ogle, Winnebago, Knox, LaSalle, McLean, Peoria, Mason, Sangamon, St. Clair, Will, DuPage, Kane, McHenry and Cook counties all had increases in school outbreaks over the past seven days, according to the data.

See the full list of school outbreaks here.

Dr. Susan Bleasdale, an infectious disease expert at the University of Illinois Hospital, breaks down new recommendations for millions of Americans to get a third dose of the Pfizer COVID vaccine.

Walgreens, CVS to Offer COVID Vaccine Booster Shots

Walgreens and CVS are now offering COVID-19 vaccine booster shots to all eligible people, the companies announced Friday.

The pharmacy chains said booster shots will now be available in stores nationwide following announcements from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Details here.

Coronavirus in Illinois: 21,787 New COVID Cases, 239 Deaths, 135K Vaccinations in the Past Week

Illinois health officials on Friday reported 21,787 new COVID-19 cases in the past week, along with 239 additional deaths and over 135,000 new vaccine doses administered.

In all, 1,612,129 cases of coronavirus have been reported in the state since the pandemic began, according to the latest data from the Illinois Department of Public Health. The additional deaths reported this week bring the state to 24,783 confirmed COVID fatalities.

More Illinois COVID data here.

Who is Eligible for COVID Booster Shots and When After CDC Announcement?

Who is eligible for a COVID vaccine booster shot and when following the latest update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention?

The CDC on Thursday endorsed booster shots for millions of older or otherwise vulnerable Americans.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky signed off on a series of recommendations from a panel of advisers late Thursday. However, Walensky decided to make one recommendation that the panel had rejected.

Here's what we know so far.

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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