Chicago, Cook County to “moderate” threat level for COVID-19, officials say
Chicago and Cook County are again at a medium threat level for COVID-19, the Chicago Department of Health announced Friday.
Both the city and county have been under a low threat status since late September. However, Commissioner Dr Alison Arvadi has predicted in recent weeks that the level of risk in the area will rise.
With Thanksgiving approaching and the virus expected to spread over the winter, the worsening local coronavirus situation is a reminder to get vaccinated, she said in a Friday news release.
“I am concerned about the increased spread of COVID-19 and influenza, and especially the potential for severe consequences for those who remain unvaccinated or unvaccinated,” Arvadi said.
The number of new COVID-19 cases and hospital admissions linked to the virus increased in Chicago and Cook County after a dip in mid-October, according to the health department. According to the health department, the city has seen 107 new laboratory-confirmed cases and 7.1 new hospitalizations per 100,000 people in the past seven days.
Over the past seven days, Cook County has seen just over 113 new cases and 10.3 hospitalizations per 100,000 people, officials said. The threat level is determined using metrics calculated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which also measure hospital bed occupancy.
Chicago has averaged 0.43 deaths from COVID-19 per day over the past week, according to the health department.
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Everyone age 5 and older is eligible for the new, updated COVID-19 vaccine, which is believed to create a stronger immune response against current and future variants, according to a news release from the health department. But only 13% of Chicagoans age 5 and older have been vaccinated.
“For most Chicagoans, if you haven’t gotten your COVID vaccine since Labor Day, you’re not aware and not adequately protected against COVID heading into the winter,” Arvadi said.
“It doesn’t matter if you’ve already done boosters. This is a different vaccine,” she said. “Vaccines remain the single best thing we can all do to protect our families and communities.”
The Department of Health advises people to wear face masks in public areas where vaccine status is unknown during the medium-threat period.
Nationwide, 76% of U.S. counties remain at a low threat level, while 21% are experiencing a medium threat from COVID-19, officials said.
Six counties in northeastern Illinois are at a medium threat level for COVID-19, including Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Lake, McHenry and Will, according to the CDC.
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