Three Chicago-area counties as well as the city of Chicago have shifted to "high" community level status for COVID-19 in the past week. However, that's not the case statewide as Illinois' COVID situation has improved overall.
Suburban Cook, DuPage and Lake counties reported increases in metrics, and as a result, were moved from "medium" to "high" community level status, according to Thursday's update of the CDC county-by-county community level map.
The situation was drastically different in Kankakee, Kendall and Will counties, which were all listed at "high" community level status a week prior, but have since transitioned to "medium" status following decreases in metrics.
Statewide, 20 counties are said to be at "high" community level status, compared to 25 counties a week earlier. An additional 47 counties throughout the state are now in the "medium" category, according to health officials.
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The Illinois Department of Public Health continues to urge precautions in curbing the spread of COVID-19 as more than half of counties remain at "medium" or "high" community level status.
The counties listed at "high" community level status are suburban Cook, DuPage and Lake in northeastern Illinois; Adams, Champaign, Douglas, Ford, Fulton, Knox, Macon, Marshall, Montgomery, Peoria, Pike and Tazewell in central Illinois; and Johnson, Marion, Massac, Washington and Wayne in southern Illinois.
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At the "high" level, the CDC recommends that all people in the area wear a mask indoors regardless of vaccination status. For those who are immunocompromised, the CDC suggests avoiding "non-essential indoor activities" in public places.
In the counties at "medium" risk level, the CDC recommends the elderly and immunocompromised wear a mask in indoor public places and receive COVID vaccinations and booster shots, if eligible.
