Chicago health officials said while no mandates are expected in the lead-up to the Memorial Day weekend, despite the region transitioning into a “high” community alert level, there are some precautions residents should take. Charlie Wojciechowski reports.
As COVID cases continue to climb around the United States, more Illinois counties are currently at a “high community level” of the virus, including several in the Chicago area.
According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, six Illinois counties within the NBC 5 viewing area are now at that “high community level” because of escalating case and hospitalization numbers.
Among those is Cook County, which is averaging more than 320 new COVID cases per week per 100,000 residents and nearly 11 new COVID admissions per 100,000 residents.
McHenry, Lake, DuPage, Grundy and Will counties are also at a “high community level” of the virus, with the CDC recommending that residents wear masks indoors regardless of vaccination status.
A total of 15 of Illinois’ 102 counties are now at a “high community level” of the virus, according to officials.
Under new guidelines released by the CDC, a county is considered to be at a “high community level” of COVID when its average number of weekly cases per 100,000 residents rises above 200, and when it either is averaging 10 weekly COVID hospital admissions or when it’s seeing 10% or more of its hospital beds occupied by COVID patients.
All six of the counties that are in that "high" level have gone there because of weekly hospital admissions, according to CDC data.
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While officials have said that the move to the "high community level" won't immediately trigger new COVID mitigations or mandates, the CDC and public health officials are recommending that all residents wear masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status.
Officials are also recommending that those residents who are immunocompromised, or that live with those who are immunocompromised, should consider taking additional steps to protect themselves due to high case levels.
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Here are the numbers in those six counties:
Cook County (High) –
Weekly Case Rate Per 100,000 Residents: 323.77 (down from 367.34 last week)
New Weekly COVID Hospital Admissions Per 100,000 Residents: 10.9 (up from 9.8 last week)
Percentage of Staffed Beds Used by COVID Patients: 3.5% (up from 3% last week)
DuPage County (High) –
Weekly Case Rate Per 100,000 Residents: 341.96 (down from 439.91)
New Weekly COVID Hospital Admissions Per 100,000 Residents: 10.9 (up from 9.8)
Percentage of Staffed Beds Used by COVID Patients: 3.5% (up from 3%)
Grundy County (High) –
Weekly Case Rate Per 100,000 Residents: 217.42 (identical to last week)
New Weekly COVID Hospital Admissions Per 100,000 Residents: 11.1 (up from 7.8)
Percentage of Staffed Beds Used by COVID Patients: 5.1% (up from 3.5%)
Lake County (High) –
Weekly Case Rate Per 100,000 Residents: 345.42 (down from 424.53)
New Weekly COVID Hospital Admissions Per 100,000 Residents: 10.9 (up from 9.8)
Percentage of Staffed Beds Used by COVID Patients: 3.5% (up from 3%)
McHenry County (High) –
Weekly Case Rate Per 100,000 Residents: 277.48 (down from 359.03)
New Weekly COVID Hospital Admissions Per 100,000 Residents: 10.9 (up from 9.8)
Percentage of Staffed Beds Used by COVID Patients: 3.5% (up from 3%)
Will County (High) –
Weekly Case Rate Per 100,000 Residents: 289.11 (down from 366.71)
New Weekly COVID Hospital Admissions Per 100,000 Residents: 11.1 (up from 7.8)
Percentage of Staffed Beds Used by COVID Patients: 5.1% (up from 3.5%)
