Cases Likely to Continue Climbing, Officials Urge Caution – NBC Chicago

Chicago health officials expect cases will continue to rise in the area, and are urging added precautions as metrics trend upward.

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

Attending a Large Gathering? Consider Taking a COVID Test First, Chicago’s Top Doc Says

With COVID cases rising in Chicago and throughout the United States, the city’s top doctor has recommendations for those looking to gather for summertime fun.

First and foremost on that list? Taking an at-home COVID test prior to any large gatherings.

“If you’re going to be gathering in a large group, it’s a good idea to just take a home test, especially if there are people who are going to be at higher-risk, immune-compromised, etc., in that group,” Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, said Tuesday afternoon.

Read more here.

COVID Cases Likely to Keep Rising in Coming Weeks, Chicago’s Top Doc Warns

As COVID-19 cases continue to rise around the United States, Chicago’s top doctor says she expects that trend to keep going before any reversal takes place.

Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, says that the city’s positivity rate has soared to nearly 5% in recent weeks, and she expects metrics to continue to rise in the coming days.

Read more here.

COVID by the Numbers: Illinois Cases Climb Rapidly Again After Slowed Increase

After a decline in coronavirus cases a week earlier, numbers have picked up pace again in Illinois, according to the latest data from the Illinois Department of Public Health.

As of Monday, the state was seeing an average of 5,154 new cases per day over the last seven days, IDPH data revealed. That represents an increase of 41.6% in the last week, climbing from 3,639 cases per day as of last Monday.

However, the situation was drastically different the week prior.

Read more here.

Chicago-Area Officials Say U.S. Could be Seeing Fifth Wave of COVID as Cases Increase

As COVID-19 cases continue to rise around the United States, some experts are saying that the country could be entering a fifth wave of the virus as summer approaches.

In the last week alone, COVID cases in the state of Illinois have gone up by more than 40%, while hospitalizations have also begun a slow increase, according to data from the Illinois Department of Public Health.

“If you look at our rates, (and) if you look, for example, at the CDC maps, we are right up there with the east coast,” Dr. Sharon Welbel of Cook County Health says.

Read more here.

Illinois COVID Metrics: The Latest Data From Counties at ‘Medium Community Level’ of the Virus

As coronavirus cases increase in the state of Illinois, more counties are now classified as having a “medium community level” of the virus according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

According to the latest data from the CDC, there are currently 14 Illinois counties that are in that “medium” range, up from five just a week ago.

Read more here.

CDC COVID Guidelines 2022: Symptoms to Watch for, How Long to Quarantine and More

With new, more contagious variants of COVID-19 spreading across the U.S. and nearly all of the Chicago area rising to a higher alert level, many are wondering what to do if they experience symptoms or test positive for the virus.

If you were exposed, when could symptoms start, how long are you contagious, how long should you quarantine for and when is the best time test?

Read more here.

As New Omicron Subvariant Spreads, Here Are the Symptoms to Watch For

The BA.2 omicron subvariant still remains the dominant COVID strain across the U.S., but another subvariant has gained momentum in recent days.

BA.2.12.1, which health officials say appears to be up to 27% more contagious than BA.2, is responsible for approximately 36.5% of cases nationwide, according to the most recent CDC weekly numbers.

While BA.2 accounts for approximately 75% of all U.S. cases, it is said to make up at least 70% of the cases in the healthcare region encompassing New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

As BA.2.12.1 grows across the country, are there any specific symptoms that point toward the variant, and overall what symptoms should you look for?

Read more here.

Johnson & Johnson COVID Vaccine: What to Know as Federal Guidance Changes

For several months the Food and Drug Administration has advised Americans to receive either the Pfizer or Moderna series of COVID vaccines as opposed to the Johnson & Johnson single-shot vaccine, but that guidance has now been strengthened as the agency is now strictly limiting the usage of the drug.

On Thursday, the FDA announced that it would impose strict limits on who can receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine amid ongoing concerns about a rare but serious side effect that could cause life-threatening blood clots in patients who receive the shot.

Here is the latest on what we know about the FDA’s change of guidance.

As Chicago Moves Into Heightened COVID Risk, When Could a Mask Mandate Return?

Chicago moved from “low” to “medium” risk for COVID-19 transmission on Friday, so when could health officials reinstate restrictions like the mask mandate?

The Chicago Department of Public Health is now “strongly recommending” that people wear a mask in public, indoor spaces due to the increase in cases, but this doesn’t mean a face covering requirement is in place.

Read more here.

Here’s Where Masks Are Advised in the Chicago Area and Who Should Wear Them

Multiple COVID metrics have risen over the course of the past week, leading the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to expand the number of counties where precautions are suggested.

According to an update of the CDC’s county-by-county community levels map, 12% of U.S. counties are listed as having either medium or high community levels, an increase from 9% last week.

Read more here.

What to Know About ‘Medium Community Level’ For COVID-19, According to CDC

With nearly every Chicago-area county having reached the “medium community level” for COVID-19, per guidance set by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, what does that mean for you?

Here’s what the CDC recommends for counties under a medium alert level.

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.