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Chicago’s battle over remote learning leads to yet another day of canceled classes for public school students in the city.
Meanwhile, the coronavirus pandemic, and in some cases a vaccine mandate for indoor dining, have led to closures of popular restaurants and bars.
Here’s what you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic across Illinois today:
Vaccine Mandates Begin in Multiple Chicago-Area Suburbs
For a number of Chicago-area suburbs that weren’t included under Cook County’s vaccine mandate on Jan. 3, a similar mandate begins Monday.
In Evanston, Oak Park and Skokie, the new rules will go into effect, and will require customers at various indoor venues to furnish proof of COVID vaccination before they are allowed to enter.
The rule in Evanston will apply to businesses where food and drink are served for on-site consumption, such as restaurants, bars, entertainment venues and fitness facilities.
In Oak Park, valid proof of vaccination will include a vaccination card, or a digital or physical photo of a card. The village will also allow digital vaccination records on smartphones to be used for proof of vaccination, and will require residents to show proof of identification that corresponds to their vaccination card.
Skokie will also adopt the rules, with all patrons over the age of five required to be fully vaccinated.
Read more here.
Chicago Fight With Teachers Union Stretches Into 2nd Week
Chicago school leaders canceled class a fourth day in the nation’s third-largest district as negotiations with the teachers’ union over remote learning and other COVID-19 safety protocols failed to produce an agreement over the weekend.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez said in a joint statement Sunday evening that there wasn’t “sufficient progress” in talks to resume in-person classes Monday, extending disruptions into a second school week. But they vowed negotiations would continue “through the night.”
Read more here.
Bob Chinn’s Crabhouse Temporarily Closes Due to Proof-of-Vaccination Requirements
Bob Chinn’s Crabhouse Restaurant in Wheeling announced a temporary closure Saturday, citing the reason as “unforeseen business circumstances” caused by proof-of-vaccination requirements in suburban Cook County.
In a social media post, the popular suburban establishment announced it was pausing all business from Sunday until Monday, Feb. 7.
“Due to unforeseen business circumstances brought about by the new Cook County COVID-19 vaccination card mandate, we have made the difficult decision to temporarily close our doors,” the restaurant said on Facebook.
Read more here.
Plainfield School District 202 Cancels Classes Monday Due to Staffing, Rise in COVID Cases
Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202 has canceled classes Monday as a result of COVID-related staff and logistical challenges, the district announced Sunday.
In a post on Facebook, District 202 leadership said cited “logistical transportation and staff issues related to a rise in COVID-19 cases” as the reasons for cancelling classes.
Read more here.
Abbott Labs to Provide 350K COVID Tests to CPS, Pritzker Announces, Amid Union Standoff
Abbott Laboratories and SHIELD Illinois will provide COVID-19 tests to Chicago Public Schools, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Saturday, as the CPS and Chicago Teachers Union standoff over coronavirus protocols and remote learning continued with no immediate end in sight.
In a tweet Saturday, Pritzker thanked Robert Ford, the CEO of Illinois-based Abbott, and the SHIELD team for providing 350,000 rapid antigen tests to CPS, saying he’s committed to “seeing our kids and teachers safely in classrooms ASAP.
Read more here.
What is ‘Flurona’ and What Are the Symptoms? Chicago-Area Doctor on What to Know
Yes, it’s possible for someone to be diagnosed with both flu and COVID at the same time, doctors say. Cases of people who have tested positive for both viruses, in what has now been coined “flurona,” have been reported recently.
But despite some false portrayals online, the viruses have not merged to create a new illness. They remain separate infections.
“Flurona is a thoughtfully-named experience that can in fact occur. The flu virus and the COVID-19 virus are different enough that they’re different variants and they both can occur at the same time,” said Dr. Mark Loafman, chair of family and community medicine for Cook County Health.
Here’s what we know so far about “flurona” and what to expect.
Lost Lake, Popular Tropical Chicago Bar, to Close for Good After Next Weekend
Chicago’s iconic tropical bar, Lost Lake, announced it will permanently close after next weekend, noting the “super-spreader surge” of COVID metrics across the city led to this decision.
In a Facebook post Friday, Lost Lake said next weekend will be the bar’s last days of in-person service after years of bringing Chicagoans tropical cocktails at the corner of Diversey Avenue and Kedzie Boulevard.
“Maybe someday we’ll be back in one form or another, but it looks like this is it for now,” Lost Lake said in a Facebook post.
Read more here.
Omicron Symptoms: Here’s What to Watch For After COVID Exposure
Not sure if your symptoms are COVID-related?
Whether you were exposed or just aren’t feeling well, experts say to assume that those who believe they might have a cold could have coronavirus. But what symptoms should you specifically be watching for?
It’s a question many are asking as omicron cases surge into the new year following holiday gatherings and as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention update their quarantine and isolation guidelines.
Could Omicron Peak be Coming? Here’s What Experts Are Watching For
As omicron COVID cases continue to surge, with many states across the country reporting record case levels, when could the variant reach its peak?
Chicago’s top doctor offered her predictions based on data from around the globe Tuesday, but said, in short, “we don’t know when omicron is going to peak.” There are some signs experts are watching for, however.
Read more here.
Omicron and Quarantine or Isolation: Do You Need to Test Out? The Latest Guidance
If you test positive for COVID and isolate, do you need to take another test before you can see people again? What if you were exposed but have no symptoms?
It’s a question many are asking as omicron cases surge into the new year following holiday gatherings and as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention update their quarantine and isolation guidelines.
How Long After COVID Exposure Could You Test Positive?
How long could it take for someone to test positive for COVID following an exposure to someone who had the virus?
It’s a question many are asking following holiday gatherings amid surging omicron variant cases.
Testing demand continues to soar as the new year gets underway and some experts say the omicron variant has “sped up” timing for what many have come to know with COVID.
When Could Omicron Symptoms Start After COVID Exposure?
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 cases of the coronavirus surge with the new omicron variant continuing to spread following the holidays, your chances of being exposed to someone with the virus have likely increased. But when might symptoms first appear following a potential exposure?
Some experts say the omicron variant has “sped up” timing for what many have come to know with COVID, including the incubation period, or the time between exposure and the start of symptoms.
“As we’ve seen these new variants develop – delta, now omicron – what we’re seeing is everything gets sped up from a COVID perspective,” Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said Thursday. “It is taking less time from when someone is exposed to COVID to potentially develop infection. It is taking less time to develop symptoms, it is taking less time that someone may be infectious and it is, for many people, taking less time to recover. A lot of that is because many more people are vaccinated.”
