Now that COVID vaccinations are approved for children 6 months and older, guidelines and policies have shifted for Chicago Public Schools upcoming school year, with officials stressing the importance of vaccine protection over masking. But so far, no mandates are in place. Sandra Torres has more.
As COVID continues to evolve, are quarantine and isolation guidelines also changing?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed its new set of recommendations Thursday.
Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic across Illinois today:
CDC's New COVID Guidelines: How New Isolation Rules Vary by Severity of Symptoms
After more than a week of waiting, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finally unveiled its new guidelines for isolation, quarantine and social distancing, but one of the biggest changes involves those who experience more severe symptoms of the virus.
The new guidelines propose different approaches for patients who experience traditional mild symptoms, including fever, cough and other cold-like issues, and those who experience more severe illness, including those who suffer from difficulty breathing or shortness of breath.
Read more here.
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CDC Releases New Guidance for COVID Isolation and Quarantine
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued changes to its guidelines for COVID isolation and quarantine, changing the recommendations for unvaccinated individuals who were exposed to the virus and offering new advice on how to end isolation and what to do if symptoms return.
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Read more here.
As COVID Continues to Evolve, Do You Still Need to Quarantine After Exposure?
With Chicago Public Schools' back-to-school start date just over a week away, summer break for students and teachers is coming to a close. And now that COVID vaccinations are approved for children 6 months and older, guidelines and policies have shifted for the upcoming school year, with officials stressing the importance of vaccine protection over masking.
But as the classroom inches closer, the city remains at what the Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention classifies as a "high" community transmission of the virus.
Read more here.
BA.5: Symptoms to Watch for, and More Information About America's Most Prevalent COVID Variant
With new COVID variants and subvariants behind rising cases in Illinois and other parts of the country, many are wondering if symptoms are changing as more begin to experience them.
Currently, the BA.5 omicron subvariant accounts for nearly 90% of COVID cases in the United States, according to estimates provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Read more here.
Chicago Public Schools Releases 2022-23 COVID Guidelines: What You Need to Know
As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention weighs potential changes to a host of COVID protocols, Chicago Public Schools has announced the tweaks it will make to the district’s handling of the virus this fall.
According to Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, and CPS CEO Pedro Martinez, CPS will not require students to be vaccinated against the virus when they return to buildings this fall. However, a vaccination requirement remains in place for staff.
Read more here.
Changes Could Soon Be Coming to COVID Quarantine and Isolation Guidelines, Chicago's Top Doc Says
As COVID continues to evolve, quarantine and isolation guidelines could also change, according to Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health.
While the Centers for Disease Control has not made changes to its current guidelines, Arwady said she expects updates to be made soon.
Read more here.
COVID Variant Tracker: BA.5 Continues to Gain Ground, as Does Sublineage of BA.4
According to the latest estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the BA.5 subvariant of COVID is still continuing to make up a greater share of coronavirus cases, but another variant is slowly gaining steam as well.
Those estimates, released every Tuesday, show that the BA.5 subvariant currently makes up 87.1% of cases in the United States, up from 84.5% a week ago.
See more metrics here.
Does Everyone With COVID Get Symptoms With BA.5? Here's What Chicago's Top Doc Says
Health experts have noted that the BA.5 omicron subvariant has led to more symptomatic infections, but could some people still have the virus and not know it?
Chicago's top doctor said the answer to that question is still yes, though she notes that even those with symptoms may mistake them for other illnesses.
Read more here.
Can You End COVID Isolation If You're Still Testing Positive? What to Know About the Guidelines
Still testing positive even after isolating for COVID?
What does that mean for your isolation period and when can you start to see people again?
Experts say some tests can stay positive for several weeks after infection.
Read more here.
