Dr Ngozi Ezike

Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike will be leaving her position later this month after serving three years in the role of Illinois’ top doctor. Dr. Ezike sits down with NBC 5’s Mary Ann Ahern for a one-on-one interview.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Tuesday that the federal government will provide medical staffing assistance to University of Chicago Medicine’s Ingalls Memorial Hospital in suburban Harvey in an effort to reduce the strain on nurses and doctors as they care for an increasing number of patients ill with coronavirus.c

The omicron variant has changed some of what many came to know about the coronavirus and how it spreads, but now with new guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some are wondering when they are most contagious and for how long after contracting the virus?

As the FDA plans to meet soon to discuss the next eligible age group, children ages 5-11, for the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine, Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike urges parents and guardians to make plans to get their kids vaccinated.

Beginning this week, Illinois residents with pre-existing conditions and other comorbidities will become eligible to receive the coronavirus vaccine under Phase 1B of the state’s vaccination program, and Gov. J.B. Pritzker says that proof of such a condition, while not explicitly required, will help expedite the process for residents seeking the treatment. Speaking during a press availability on Monday,...

Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike received the first dose of her COVID-19 vaccination Tuesday.

As the new year approaches, here’s a look back at the stories that shaped a challenging 2020.

Reversing course on initial vaccine distribution plans, Illinois’ public health director said Friday all of the state’s 10 “regional hub” hospitals will receive doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to distribute in week one. Illinois is looking for shipments to arrive as early as next week, as soon as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration grants final approval. Last week,...

Illinois’ top doctor urged residents to seek out verified information on the coronavirus vaccine currently awaiting approval in the U.S., warning of myths and misinformation spreading.

Illinois’ top doctor urged residents to prioritize getting their flu vaccination Monday as she revealed that some patients in the state have contracted flu and COVID-19 coinfections. Dr. Ngozi Ezike, the director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, didn’t provide a number of affected patients at the state’s daily coronavirus briefing, but noted “we’re not anywhere near the...

Though Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Illinois will likely not see the coronavirus surge from Thanksgiving yet, officials sent a message to people who traveled or gathered with family amid the pandemic.

Citing national health experts who’ve expressed concerns over the possibility of a post-Thanksgiving surge in coronavirus cases, Illinois’ Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued a stern warning to residents Monday, saying the state’s health care system could become overwhelmed if Illinoisans aren’t careful. Despite guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as pleas from health officials to...

Dr. Ngozi Ezike, Illinois’ top public health official, urged residents to be part of the plan to decrease coronavirus infections and take proper precautions this Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving’s not here just yet. And if you’re planning to take part in a large gathering, it’s not too late to change your mind. That’s the message Illinois’ Department of Public Health Director, Dr. Ngozi Ezike, shared Monday as she and Gov. J.B. Pritzker voiced concerns about the possibility of an uptick in coronavirus cases, deaths and hospitalizations stemming...

With Illinois experiencing the second surge of the coronavirus pandemic, Dr. Ngozi Ezike, the director of the state’s department of public of health, encouraged residents to be kind and not take their frustrations out on one another.

The people in Illinois who are contracting coronavirus the most are not the ones who are dying from it, Illinois’ top health official says, detailing how the deadly virus is spreading across the state and again pleading with residents to change their behavior.

Illinois’ top health official shares the latest information on the coronavirus pandemic, vaccines, where the state is seeing the most transmission, hospital capacity and more.

Illinois’ top health official says the state has been preparing a plan to vaccinate residents once a coronavirus vaccine is available but gave an impassioned plea once more to hold holiday celebrations virtually and to wear masks as she says health care workers are sounding the alarm and that the state is heading in the “wrong direction” with the pandemic.

Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike answers some questions on the COVID-19 vaccine progress, the case number surge in Illinois and how to have a safer Thanksgiving this year.

Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike revealed the latest coronavirus numbers Monday as she advised residents to “hang in there” during the pandemic.