Thinking of getting the COVID booster shot?
White House COVID response coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha urged the public to do so before a specific time - and that date is approaching.
Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic across Illinois today:
Key Date to Get Your Omicron Booster Shot By Inches Closer, According to White House Doc
Millions of Americans have already received the new, Omicron-targeted bivalent COVID booster, officials say. But many more have yet to get the latest shot -- and a key date is coming up.
The booster shot, authorized by Food and Drug Administration and recommended by the Centers for Disease Control in early September, is designed to fight both the omicron variant and original COVID strains. Unlike previous booster shots, anyone over the age of 12-years-old who has received a primary vaccine series is eligible for the new shot.
Read more here.
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How Long is COVID Contagious and When Can You Leave Isolation?
COVID-19 remains a concern for many, as it has since the pandemic began, but in recent months, a positive sign has emerged regarding a key virus measurement.
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With the most recent variants such as BA.4 and BA.5, the incubation period, the time between when you're infected to when symptoms appear, has dropped to three days, Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, has said. Most elements with both the aforementioned strains have moved faster compared to others, the doctor noted.
Read more here.
2 New Omicron Subvariants Gain Momentum as BA.5 Cases Decline
Months after it sparked a nationwide surge, the omicron subvariant BA.5 continues to remain the most dominant COVID-19 strain in the U.S. Its hold, however, appears to be waning, based on recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
BA.5 accounted for 79.2% of all U.S. COVID cases for the week of Oct. 2-8, marking a more than 2% decrease from one week prior, when it was responsible for 81.5% of cases.
Read more here.
Why This Winter Could Be Pivotal Moment in the Pandemic, According to Chicago Doctor
As the COVID-19 pandemic enters its third winter, many Americans have resumed pre-pandemic activities and many mitigation measures that were a mainstay of the early days of the pandemic are no longer in place.
After the winter of 2021 saw a surge in COVID-19 cases due to the then-recently spread omicron variant, health experts are concerned about both a potentially new COVID variant emerging as well as the resurgence of the flu, which has been mostly subdued since the start of the pandemic.
Read more here.
Will We See Another COVID Wave This Winter? What Experts Are Saying
Could another COVID wave be in store this winter? The seasonal shift has marked dramatic changes each year of the pandemic so far, but as a third winter approaches, experts are on edge for what could happen -- and there's one early sign they're watching.
In each of the last two winters, COVID cases and hospitalizations have dramatically spiked in the state of Illinois, with last winter seeing the switch from the delta variant to the more contagious omicron variant that has since spawned even more contagious subvariants now making up a majority of cases.
Read more here.
How Many COVID Tests Should You Take Before Determining You Don't Have the Virus?
COVID testing is the first line of defense against the virus, and the key to its effectiveness may be taking multiple.
Experts caution that one negative test may not be enough to determine if those feeling ill, particularly those who were knowingly exposed to COVID, have stayed clear of infection.
Read more here.
Is COVID Over? Chicago's Top Doctor Says She's Watching for One Thing This Winter
With the COVID-19 pandemic heading into its third winter and many mitigation measures no longer in place, it may start to feel like the pandemic is over.
While health experts believe COVID-19 isn't nearly the threat it was at the start of the pandemic, vaccinations for both COVID and the flu are being encouraged as an uptick in both viruses is expected due to more activities moving indoors and the overall lack of mitigation measures.
Read more here.
COVID Cases Climb Slightly From Last Week, Remain Near Lowest Levels of Year
Illinois health officials reported 11,447 new COVID-19 cases over the past week, along with 62 additional deaths over the past seven days
Cases climbed slightly from last week, when just 10,945 new cases were reported, which marked the lowest number of weekly cases since April 8.
Once again, no counties in the state were at a high level of COVID-19 transmission, although 14 Illinois counties have seen a medium level of transmission over the past week.
Read more here.
COVID vs. Flu: Determining Your Risk Levels This Fall and Winter and Why They May Be Harder to Compare
As more people shift activities indoors with dropping temperatures across much of the country, health experts are concerned about a potential rise in flu and COVID-19 cases this coming winter.
In each of the last two winters, COVID cases and hospitalizations have dramatically spiked in the state of Illinois, with last winter seeing the switch from the delta variant to the more contagious omicron variant that has since spawned even more contagious subvariants now making up a majority of cases.
This winter, experts are also concerned about a potential sharp rise in flu cases, with a growing expectation that flu cases will rise to pre-pandemic levels.
Read more here.
