As students return from winter break, concerns surrounding a new COVID variant has some asking for more testing.
Here's what else you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic across Illinois today.
CPS Asks Students, Staff to “Please Test For COVID Before Returning to School” Monday
As Chicago Public Schools resumes Monday following winter break, administrators are bracing a possible surge in COVID cases by asking students and staff to "please test for COVID-19 before returning school," a message posted to CPS' website says.
"In order to keep our school communities safe, please test for COVID-19 before returning to school," a post titled "Important Note For Families Regarding Winter Break" reads.
Read more here.
New XBB.1.5 Variant, Return to School Fuel Worries About Post-Holiday COVID Spike
Local
Concerns have emerged about the possibility of a post-holiday COVID surge fueled by a new variant, recent large gatherings and the return to the classroom following winter break.
While increases in COVID cases have occurred in other parts of the U.S., weekly case numbers, hospital admissions and weekly deaths declined in recent days across Illinois, according to data from the Illinois Department of Public Health. Across the state, 26 counties are at "high" community level status, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Read more here.
University of Illinois Removes COVID-19 Vaccine, Testing Requirements
The University of Illinois has removed its COVID-19 vaccination and testing requirements for all students and employees, system President Tim Killeen announced.
“We do, however, strongly recommend that you stay up to date with the most recent vaccine or booster available as a barrier to serious illness,” Killeen said, The News-Gazette reported Friday.
Unvaccinated students and employees on the university's campuses had been required to keep up a regular testing schedule.
Read more here.
What is the ‘Kraken' Variant? What We Know About the New COVID Variant So Far
You may have heard about a so-called "kraken" variant circulating right now, but what exactly is it and why is being called that?
The nickname refers to the XBB.1.5 variant, which has quickly become the dominant COVID strain in the U.S.
But why the "kraken" variant?
Read more here.
73 Illinois Counties at ‘High' COVID-19 Community Level as Cases Climb From Last Week
According to Illinois health officials, 73 of the state's 102 counties are now at an elevated COVID-19 community level according to CDC data, marking an increase from 65 counties from data released last week.
Of the counties at an elevated level, 28 are at a "high" community level and 45 counties are at a "medium" community level. All of the counties in the Chicago area remain at a "medium" level.
Illinois health officials are reporting 16,281 new probable and confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the week ending on Jan. 1, with 20 additional deaths.
Read more here.
Entire Chicago Area Under 'Medium' COVID Alert Level
In the latest data released from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the entire Chicago area sits under the "medium" COVID alert level.
The CDC's weekly updated community levels were released Thursday.
At "medium" status, anyone at high risk of getting seriously ill should wear a high-quality mask or respirator, such as an N95, when in public indoors. Additionally, if you have contact with someone else at high risk, consider self-testing to detect infection before contact, according to the CDC.
Here's What People With Long COVID Need to Know About Navigating Health Insurance
Navigating the health insurance system is often difficult and overwhelming, even in the best of times. For patients with long COVID, a relatively new condition that frequently leaves patients with a lengthy and unpredictable list of debilitating symptoms, it can be especially nightmarish.
"Even if you remain on the same [health insurance] plan you had before COVID, you will probably utilize the health-care system more, whether it be more office visits, more prescription medications or even more medical devices," said Caitlin Donovan, a spokesperson for the National Patient Advocate Foundation.
Indeed, nearly half of people with long COVID reported increased medical expenses, according to a recent survey conducted by the Patient Advocate Foundation.
Read more here.
US Now Requires People Traveling From China to Take COVID-19 Test: CDC
The U.S. announced new COVID-19 testing requirements last week for all travelers from China, joining other nations imposing restrictions because of a surge of infections. Those measures took effect Thursday.
The increase in cases across China follows the rollback of the nation's strict anti-virus controls. China's “zero COVID” policies had kept the country's infection rate low but fueled public frustration and crushed economic growth.
The new U.S. requirements, which started Jan. 5, apply to travelers regardless of their nationality and vaccination status.
Read more here.
Damar Hamlin's Collapse Spurs New Wave of Vaccine Misinformation Online
Unfounded claims about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines proliferated in the hours and days after Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed during Monday's game, revealing how pervasive vaccine misinformation remains three years after the pandemic began.
Even before Hamlin was carried off the field in Cincinnati, posts amassing thousands of shares and millions of views began circulating online claiming without evidence that complications from COVID-19 vaccines caused his health emergency.
Read more here.
New COVID Variant XBB 1.5 Quickly Rising in Dominance. Here's Why That Matters
The new, highly-contagious COVID variant XBB.1.5 is already the dominant variant in the U.S., with its numbers more than doubling each week for the last month.
Tracking numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that, as of Saturday, the XBB.1.5 variant now makes up more than 40% of cases in the U.S. Four weeks ago, that number was just 3.7%.
Read more here.
Are Symptoms Changing With New COVID Variant Rising? Here's What Chicago's Top Doc Said
As a new, more contagious COVID-19 variant quickly gains prevalence locally and nationally, many are wondering if the XBB.1.5 strain presents new symptoms than previous strains of the virus.
While the variant is still presenting symptoms that have been noted to be consistent with COVID-19 since the onset of the pandemic, Arwady noted that flu-like symptoms are not as prevalent with XBB.1.5, particularly for those who are vaccinated and boosted.
Read more here.
New COVID Variant XBB.1.5: What It Is, Symptoms and What You Should Know
A new COVID variant, marking a fusion between two recent strains that is even more contagious than its predecessors, is beginning to take hold in the U.S., but what exactly is it, how serious is it and what are the symptoms?
Here's a look at what we know so far and what experts are saying.
