Could Chicago soon join surrounding counties in the medium alert level for COVID?
The city's top doctor predicts that could happen in the near future.
Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic across Illinois today:
COVID vs. Allergies: How Can You Tell the Difference in Symptoms?
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter here.
With high levels of tree pollen now in the air and highly-contagious COVID variants spreading this spring, it can be increasingly difficult to identify the reason behind your runny nose or fatigue.
"Now with COVID and all the different strains becoming a little bit milder, people are getting confused with the symptoms," said Dr. Ruchi Gupta, professor of pediatrics and medicine for Northwestern's Feinberg School of Medicine.
Read more here.
Local
Chicago Likely to Hit ‘Medium Community Level' of COVID Soon, Top Doctor Says
While hospitalizations have remained largely steady in Chicago in recent weeks, it appears that the area is at risk of moving up to a “medium community level” of COVID-19 soon, the city’s top doctor says.
Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, told viewers during her “Ask Arwady” session on Tuesday that the city will likely move to a “medium level” of the virus as soon as this week.
“I do anticipate, really, probably this week or next Chicago will move to that medium level,” Arwady said.
Read more here.
The CDC Still Recommends You Wear a Mask on Planes and Trains
U.S. health officials on Tuesday restated their recommendation that Americans wear masks on planes, trains and buses, despite a court ruling last month that struck down a national mask mandate on public transportation.
Americans age 2 and older should wear a well-fitting masks while on public transportation, including in airports and train stations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended, citing the current spread of coronavirus and projections of future COVID-19 trends.
Read more here.
Experts: What Lake, DuPage Counties Being at ‘Medium' COVID Transmission Level Means
Several suburban Chicago communities are seeing increased transmission of COVID-19, but metrics would have to get significantly worse before any mandates or protocol changes would be implemented, health experts tell NBC 5.
Both Lake and DuPage counties are among the five Illinois counties that are considered to be at a “medium community transmission” level, according to data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Read more here.
Illinois COVID Numbers: Cases Slowly Rise, but Hospitalizations Decrease in Recent Days
New cases of coronavirus are still on the rise in Illinois, but that rate of increase is slowing down, and hospitals are reporting fewer admissions in the last week.
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, the state is now averaging 3,639 new cases of COVID per day over the last week. That does represent a 16% increase from a week ago, when Illinois was averaging 3,136 new cases per day, but it also represents a slowdown in the rate of increase.
Read more here.
Suburban Cook County Now in Medium COVID Transmission Risk: Health Officials
Suburban Cook County is now in a "medium" risk level for COVID transmission, according to the area health officials.
The Cook County Department of Public Health issued an alert Friday afternoon saying "an increase in the number of positive cases" lifted the county to the second-highest risk level, as designated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Though the county was not listed on the CDC's most recent county-by-county transmission risk update, CCDPH said its metrics as of Thursday indicate suburban portions are under the "medium" risk level.
Read more here.
COVID Vaccines for Kids Under 5: When Could Shots Begin? The Latest Timing
As Moderna took the next step forward toward getting the first COVID vaccination authorized for children under the age of 5, when could parents expect shots to begin?
Frustrated families are waiting impatiently for a chance to protect the nation’s littlest kids as all around them people shed masks and other public health precautions -- even though highly contagious coronavirus mutants continue to spread.
The nation’s 18 million children under 5 are the only age group not yet eligible for vaccination.
While the race is on to get the youngest members of the population vaccinated, which vaccine will work best and when might one be approved?
Cases of Subvariant Descended From ‘Stealth Omicron' Continue to Increase: CDC
A new version of the omicron variant is continuing to spread across the United States, with the Centers for Disease Control estimating that the descendant now accounts for nearly one-third of cases in the country.
According to the latest estimates provided by the department Tuesday, the BA.2.12.1 subvariant accounted for an estimated 28.7% of COVID cases in the United States in the last week.
Read more here.
How Long Are You Contagious With COVID and How Soon Could Symptoms Start? Here's What to Know
If you test positive for coronavirus or were exposed to someone who has, when could symptoms start, how long are you contagious, how long should you quarantine for and when should you get tested?
With COVID cases slowly rising in Illinois and parts of the U.S., local health officials have issued warnings to take precautions, particularly in areas where transmission risk is increasing.
Illinois has seen new cases of the virus increase by more than 40% in the last week.
Read more here.
How Soon After Exposure Do COVID Symptoms Start?
As cases of the coronavirus climb in Illinois and across the country due in part to the now-dominant BA.2 omicron subvariant, the risk for being exposed to someone with COVID is also increasing. But when might symptoms first appear following a potential exposure?
Some experts say the omicron variant "sped up" timing for what many once knew with COVID, including the incubation period, or the time between exposure and the start of symptoms. Late last year, guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surrounding quarantine and isolation were updated to reflect that change.
Read more here.
CDC Guidelines For COVID Exposure: What to Know About Quarantine Times, Symptoms
After you've been exposed to or test positive for COVID-19, how long should you quarantine from others and when could symptoms appear?
As cases, and now deaths and hospitalizations as well, slowly rise in Illinois and parts of the U.S., local health officials have issued warnings to take precautions, particularly in areas where transmission risk is increasing.
Here's a look at the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on what to do if you test positive or believe you were exposed to someone who has. This guidance was most recently updated at the end of March.
