Getting children as young as 5 vaccinated for coronavirus is one step closer to reality, but a few more steps must still be taken.
Plus, which booster shot should you choose? Chicago's top doctor weighs in.
Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic across Illinois today:
Northwestern Students Accused of Stealing 4,500 COVID Test Kits From Campus
Thousands of COVID-19 test kits have been recovered from Northwestern University students who allegedly stole them from an Evanston campus dormitory.
About 4,500 Northwestern-owned COVID-19 test kits were stolen from a secure storage room in a common area of the Foster-Walker Complex at 1927 Orrington Ave., Northwestern University police said in a statement.
Read more here.
COVID Vaccines for Kids Under 12: What Still Needs to Happen Before Shots Can Begin
Children as young as 5 could soon be eligible for coronavirus vaccines as a panel of advisers for the Food and Drug Administration gave Pfizer's child-size COVID vaccine its endorsement Tuesday, but there are still some steps that need to be taken.
Full-strength Pfizer shots already are recommended for anyone 12 or older, but pediatricians and many parents are anxiously awaiting protection for younger children to stem infections from the extra-contagious delta variant and help keep kids in school.
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Tuesday's vote was the first step in a review process that will still require recommendations from the FDA itself and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Read more here.
Here's Which Booster Shot Should You Get Based on Your First Dose, According to Experts
With millions of Americans now eligible to choose which coronavirus booster dose they receive, how can you make the best decision for you?
Chicago's top doctor, Dr. Allison Arwady, broke down Tuesday the best options based on your first dose.
Arwady said that while the first doses of the vaccine remain the most important, choosing your booster dose can also be an important decision.
Read more here.
‘Giving Vaccines, That's Our Jam': Pediatricians Weigh in on FDA Advisory Approval for Pfizer Shot
On Tuesday, an FDA advisory panel endorsed Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11.
"Today, our message is simple. Get your child and teen vaccinated for both COVID-19 and the flu as soon as possible," said Dr. Frank Belmonte, the chief medical officer at Advocate Children's Hospital.
Speaking at a press conference alongside his colleagues in the Chicagoland Children’s Health Alliance, Dr. Belmonte said his hospital and others have been prepared for weeks to administer vaccines to children.
Read more here.
Is the COVID Vaccine Dosage for Children the Same as for Teenagers?
Is the Pfizer vaccine that is being evaluated by federal health officials for younger children the exact same vaccine that teenagers and adults received?
According to Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady, the answer is no.
While the vaccine for younger children has "the exact same ingredients" and will follow the same timeframe between doses, "it is only going to be a third the dose."
Read more here.
When Will the Mask Mandate End in Chicago? City's Top Doctor Weighs in
Chicago's top doctor said Tuesday that she hopes Chicago's mask mandate will end "soon" and provided a metric for when the city could remove the requirement.
Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said in a Facebook Live event that, per U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, the city would need to be below 200 cases per day to remove the mask mandate.
"Our numbers are going down," Arwady said. "When we get below 200 per day with good testing, per the CDC, moving out of that 'substantial transmission' risk, that's what [the mask mandate] would be coming off."
Read more here.
What to Know With COVID Vaccines for Kids Under 12 Now One Step Closer
Children as young as 5 could soon be eligible for coronavirus vaccines as a panel of advisers for the Food and Drug Administration gave Pfizer's child-size COVID vaccine its endorsement Tuesday.
Full-strength Pfizer shots already are recommended for anyone 12 or older, but pediatricians and many parents are anxiously awaiting protection for younger children to stem infections from the extra-contagious delta variant and help keep kids in school.
Tuesday's vote was the first step in a review process that will still require recommendations from the FDA itself and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
So what can parents expect and when? Here's what we know so far.
More States Fall Off Chicago's Travel Advisory This Week
Four additional locations were removed from Chicago's travel advisory this week, dropping the list of places on the city's warning list to 41 states and two territories.
Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland and Mississippi have all dropped below the city's threshold for being under an "orange" category on the travel advisory, the city's health department announced Tuesday.
This marks the latest round of removals after Florida, Hawaii and the District of Columbia dropped off the advisory last week.
As many as eight additional states or territories - Alabama, New Jersey, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and the Virgin Islands - could come off the advisory next week, the health department said.
Read more here.
Here Are the Most Common Side Effects of COVID Booster Shots
People have reported side effects like chills, fever and nausea after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, but do you need to worry about developing such symptoms after getting a booster shot?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms of the booster appear to largely mirror how people felt after their second dose.
The side effects were mostly considered mild or moderate, and arm pain, fatigue and headache were the most commonly reported symptoms after the third shot.
Read more here.
Moderna and J&J COVID Booster Shots Now Available. Here's Who's Eligible
Earlier this week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention endorsed additional doses of the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccines, but who exactly does the updated guidance cover?
Certain people who received Pfizer vaccinations months ago already were eligible for a booster and on Thursday, the CDC said specific Moderna and Johnson & Johnson recipients qualify, too.
And in a bigger change, the agency is allowing the flexibility of “mixing and matching" that extra dose regardless of which type people received first.
Read more here.
Here's When You Need to Get Your COVID Vaccine to Be Fully Vaccinated By the Holidays
As Illinois health officials advocate for vaccinations ahead of the holiday season and cold winter months, Chicago's top doctor revealed when you would need to get your shots if you want to be fully vaccinated for holiday gatherings.
Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady gave dates to receive the first and single vaccine doses in order to be fully vaccinated by Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa.
10 Myths About COVID-19 Vaccine For Kids, Busted By Chicago Pediatricians
The FDA is planning to meet soon to discuss the next eligible age group, children ages 5-11, for the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine, and pediatricians are preparing to administer the shots, once the vaccine is approved.
Doctors at Advocate Children’s Hospital have been talking with families and parents, listening to their questions and concerns. Misinformation about the vaccine is a big concern for Advocate doctors, who composed a list of the top myths they’re hearing.
Read the top 10 myths here.
