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Chicago COVID update: With cases rising, officials urge face mask use over Memorial Day weekend

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CHICAGO (WLS) — Chicago area public health officials are urging people to put masks back on in certain situations, especially over the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

The warning comes as a recent COVID surge has moved Chicago and many surrounding counties into the CDC’s high community transmission level. However, returning to a mask mandate seems a long way off.

Heading into the Memorial Day weekend, with many people planning to gather with family and friends, Chicago Commissioner of Public Health Dr. Allison Arwady urged people to wear masks when indoors with the city in the high risk category.

“We ask everybody for this short time period while we are in high put that mask on especially if you are in an indoor crowded setting,” Dr. Arwady said.

But, will people voluntarily comply? Psychiatric experts say compliance rates definitely increase if people are required to do something, but after two years, mandates are tough as people suffer from COVID fatigue.

“You can only demand conformity or mandate conformity for a period of time until people become weary of it,” said Dr. Robert Shulman at Rush University.

WATCH | Dr. Arwady on what it means when Chicago moves to ‘high’ COVID risk

Chicago’s not alone. In the Chicago area, Cook, DuPage, Lake (IL), McHenry, Will and Grundy counties all appeared as “high risk” on the CDC’s map when it was updated Thursday afternoon.

Despite the recommendation to wear masks, it is not a requirement for now.

“I’m going to wear my mask inside, it’s probably the right thing to do,” Michael Pattis said.

What does is mean to be at high COVID level?

“It’s hard to breathe, plus it should be your choice to wear one or not,” Raymond Rodgers said. “I’m not going to do it.”

In Chicago, compared to the start of the pandemic when 50 to 60 people a day were dying, the current average is less than one per day.

Despite an increase in hospitalization numbers, they’re still a fraction of what they were during the omicron peak a few months ago.

At Edward-Elmhurst Health, COVID-related hospitalizations have more than doubled in the past five weeks.

But compared to other surges, fewer patients are critically ill.

“Because of vaccinations and the protection they have and because of anti-viral treatments, we’re not seeing severe illness lead to death or ICU care as much,” Dr. Jonathan Pinsky, Medical Director of Infection Control at Edward Elmhurst Health, said.

But health officials are keeping a close eye on how stressed the healthcare system may become.

“If we see an increase in stress, than we’ll have to take other measures,” said Dr. Rachel Rubin, at Cook County Dept. of Public Health.

Rubin said hospitalizations can remain low if people do the right thing and mask up.

“What I would hope is for the management of these public spaces – whether it’s a retail establishment or event space – that they would do their best to ask people put masks on,” Rubin added.

To keep it under control, Arwady said more Chicagoans need to get boosted. The rate has remained low for months, with only 42% of eligible residents having received a booster shot.

In addition, Arwady said residents should avoid crowded indoor gatherings, limit gatherings to small numbers and test right away if you have symptoms.

Anyone who tests positive is asked to isolate for five days and if they are feeling better, they can go in public while wearing a mask for the next five days.

Copyright © 2022 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.



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Health

Chicago COVID update: With cases rising, officials urge face mask use over Memorial Day weekend

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CHICAGO (WLS) — Chicago area public health officials have urged people to put masks back on in certain situations.

The warning comes as a recent COVID surge has moved Chicago and many surrounding counties into the CDC’s high community transmission level. However, returning to a mask mandate seems a long way off.

Heading into the Memorial Day weekend, with many people planning to gather with family and friends, Chicago Commissioner of Public Health Dr. Allison Arwady urged people to wear masks when indoors with the city in the high risk category.

“We ask everybody for this short time period while we are in high put that mask on especially if you are in an indoor crowded setting,” Dr. Arwady said.

WATCH | Dr. Arwady on what it means when Chicago moves to ‘high’ COVID risk

Chicago’s not alone. In the Chicago area, Cook, DuPage, Lake (IL), McHenry, Will and Grundy counties all appeared as “high risk” on the CDC’s map when it was updated Thursday afternoon.

Despite the recommendation to wear masks, it is not a requirement for now.

“I’m going to wear my mask inside, it’s probably the right thing to do,” Michael Pattis said.

“It’s hard to breath, plus it should be your choice to wear one or not,” Raymond Rodgers said. “I’m not going to do it.”

In Chicago, compared to the start of the pandemic when 50 to 60 people a day were dying, the current average is less than one per day.

Despite an increase in hospitalization numbers, they’re still a fraction of what they were. during the Omicron peak a few months ago…

At Edward-Elmhurst Health, COVID-related hospitalizations have more than *doubled in the past five weeks.

But compared to other surges, fewer patients are critically ill.

“Because of vaccinations and the protection they have and because of anti-viral treatments, we’re not seeing severe illness lead to death or ICU care as much,” Dr. Jonathan Pinsky, Medical Director of Infection Control at Edward Elmhurst Health, said.

To keep it under control, Arwady said more Chicagoans need to get boosted. The rate has remained low for months, with only 42% of eligible residents having received a booster shot.

In addition, Arwady said residents should avoid crowded indoor gatherings, limit gatherings to small numbers and test right away if you have symptoms.

Anyone who tests positive is asked to isolate for five days and if they are feeling better, they can go in public while wearing a mask for the next five days.

Copyright © 2022 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.



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COVID reinfection likely to become more common without variant-specific vaccines, experts say

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CHICAGO (WLS) — Infectious disease specialists say COVID reinfection is likely to become more and more common as the virus keeps mutating and our vaccines play catch-up.

“The variants seem to be very good at evading the immunity of prior infection,” said Dr. Max Brito, UIC Health.

Chicago Bulls All Star Zach LaVine recently missed a playoff game due to his third bout with COVID. Like in his case, reinfection is becoming more common even among people who became infected during the omicron surge.

RELATED: IL reports 5,327 new COVID cases, 14 deaths

Experts say while prior infection does give you an initial boost of antibodies, with omicron sub-variants it doesn’t last long.

“You have the potential for new waves with a lot infection and waning protection from the vaccine,” Brito said.

A Rush University Medical Center study followed the antibody levels of 1,100 vaccinated employees, and found that the levels dramatically drop in six months after two doses.

“In six months we’ve lost 90% of those antibodies and those antibodies are measured against the viral type and if you’re talking about antibodies against omicron it’s lower than that,” said Dr. James Moy, Rush University Medical Center.

Moy said levels go way back up with a booster, but there’s not enough data on how long the immunity lasts, especially against sub-variants.

“Unfortunately, it seems like COVID-19 has evolved to the point where it will keep infecting us with new variants and new mutations,” he said.

The immunity provided by vaccines and infection wanes, but both have provided enough protection to keep people out of hospitals for now. That may change in fall and winter.

Doctors say the only way to stop people from getting infected or reinfected is a new variant-specific vaccine. Drug companies are currently conducting trials with the hope of having such a vaccine available in the next few months.

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COVID rates Chicago: CDC, health experts urge caution for Mother’s Day weekend gatherings as cases rise

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CHICAGO (WLS) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said Chicago now falls in the medium transmission risk level just ahead of Mother’s Day, warning experts of another possible surge.

That’s why officials are urging people to mask up and avoid gatherings altogether if they are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms.

Doctors also said an at-home test might not even detect the virus if symptoms are mild.

For now, Chicago officials are not requiring masks, but strongly recommend wearing them, especially in indoor spaces.

Chicago and suburban counties are now at “medium” community level, with more than 200 new cases per 100,000 reported in the last seven days.

“You want to be really careful,” said Dr. Susan Bleasdale, director for infection prevention at UI Health. “If you’re visiting your mother, and there’s someone that is vulnerable, if you’re going to visit them, you may choose to wear a mask the entire time you visit together.”

If Chicago moves from medium to a “high” community level, more mitigations would be possible, but that would require a steep increase in hospitalizations, which have been on the rise but only moderately.

Illinois COVID cases

Illinois reported 7,709 new COVID cases and seven deaths Friday as the CDC said nine Chicago-area counties have reached a “medium” risk of transmission.

There have been at least 3,169,315 total COVID cases as of Friday, including at least 33,660 related deaths in the state since the pandemic began.

RELATED: Count of US COVID deaths nears 1 million: Who we’ve lost and why

As of Thursday night, 808 patients in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 66 patients were in the ICU, and 24 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.

A total of 22,018,536 vaccine doses have been administered in Illinois as of Thursday, and 64.76% of the state’s population is fully vaccinated. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 14,163.

Cook, Lake, McHenry, Kane, DuPage, Will, DeKalb, Kendall and Winnebago counties have “medium” COVID risk levels, according to the CDC.

“You know, especially that 0 to 19 group, they’re reporting the most cases every day,” said Chris Hoff, with DuPage County Health Dept. “But we are seeing increases in every age group across the community.”

In an email to Chicago Public Schools families and staff, CEO Pedro Martinez said the district would continue “strongly encouraging the use of masks in our schools, especially among our unvaccinated students, and especially when cases are rising.” But the school system followed the city’s lead in opting against a mandate.

“As we have done since the start of the pandemic, CPS will continue to follow the recommendations of the Chicago Department of Public Health when making decisions about how this change will impact our schools,” Martinez wrote in the email.

The district has fought efforts over the past few months by a group of parents and a downstate candidate for attorney general to get rid of all COVID-19 precautions in schools. Martinez announced CPS would drop its mask mandate in March just a week after he had reaffirmed the school system’s commitment to face coverings. Though his announcement cited a sharp decline in cases, he later hinted the move was intended to preemptively avoid a pending court ruling that would have blocked CPS’ ability to mandate masks in the future. He assured families, though, that CPS would reinstate the requirement if cases rose again.

While masks still won’t be required for now, the district will continue its isolation policy for unvaccinated students and staff, requiring those who are exposed to COVID-19 to work or learn from home for five days, then wear a mask in school for the next five days.

Sun-Times Media contributed to this report.

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Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Announces She Has Tested Positive for COVID-19 – NBC Chicago

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Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who is fully vaccinated and boosted, announced Tuesday that she has tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing mild symptoms.

“Earlier today, I tested positive for COVID-19,” the mayor tweeted around 2:40 p.m. Tuesday. “I am experiencing cold-like symptoms but otherwise feel fine which I credit to being vaccinated and boosted.”

The mayor said she plans to continue working from home as she follows isolation guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“This is an urgent reminder for folks to get vaccinated and boosted as it’s the only way to beat this pandemic,” she said in a statement.

This comes as the Chicago reports an average of 4,793 new COVID cases per day, a drop from last week’s 5,189. Hospitalizations, however, are averaging 187 per day, an increase of 37% in the last week. Deaths are also reporting an increase of 25% in the last week.

The city’s top doctor, Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady, stressed Tuesday that the omicron surge is still ongoing, despite a potential flattening of cases.

“This is still a very bad surge and I don’t want people to think otherwise,” Arwady said while giving a COVID-19 update Tuesday afternoon. “And I really don’t want people to think sort of it’s over, it is extremely not over.”

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker tweeted Tuesday afternoon wishing Lightfoot a “full and speedy recovery.”

“I encourage all Illinoisans to follow in the Mayor’s footsteps and get vaccinated, get boosted, and get tested – it’s how we bring this pandemic to an end,” he wrote.



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Chicago COVID mandate: Mayor Lori Lightfoot announces new proof of COVID-19 vaccine, testing requirements for indoor venues

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CHICAGO (WLS) — The city of Chicago is imposing a wide-ranging vaccine mandate that will affect bars, restaurants, gyms and more after the first of the year.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced the new requirements Tuesday in response to the surge in COVID cases.

“Chances are everyone knows someone with COVID-19 right now,” Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said. “It’s everywhere.”

This new mandate applies to anyone 5 and older who is eligible to get vaccinated. It will take effect Jan. 3, and is likely to remain in effect for several months.

WATCH: Mayor Lightfoot announces new vaccine proof requirement for Chicago

That means going out to eat in Chicago will soon require people to bring not just their mask, but also proof of vaccination if they are going to be inside for more than 10 minutes.

“This new wave is seemingly more deadly than the last, spreading faster and causing profound harm,” Lightfoot said. “To be clear, I’ve not been this concerned about COVID-19 since the early days of the pandemic.”

SEE ALSO: Biden to announce plan to mail 500M free rapid tests to Americans next month

City data show that, on average, more than 2,000 Chicagoans are testing positive for the virus daily.

The mayor’s requirement only applies to bars, restaurants, gyms and entertainment venues that serve food and drink; it does not include houses of worship or grocery stores.

Proof of vaccination will be required at:

  • Restaurants and bars

  • Entertainment venues where food and beverages are served

  • Sports arenas, concert venues, bowling alleys and movie theaters

  • Indoor fitness centers

    • “These are the places that are the most risky places for spread, which is why we’re focused on them,” Lightfoot said. “This order will remain in effect until the city deems that the threat of COVID-19 to public health as diminished significantly.”

    Right now, most large venues already ask for proof of vaccination, but many restaurants do not.

    For some patrons, it’s welcome news.

    “I think it’ll make people feel safe. It makes me feel safer. So I would think there are a lot of like-minded people out there like me,” said Larry Knight.

    RELATED: Chicago travel update: 5 states added; advisory stands at 47 states, 2 territories

    “I know my employees have a lesser likelihood of getting sick if they’re waiting on guests or around guests who are vaccinated,” said Scott Weiner, the Fifty/50 Restaurant Group owner.

    Weiner was one of the first restaurant group owners to require staff to get vaccinated, and supports Lightfoot’s requirement for restaurants and bars to require proof of vaccination for customers

    “I don’t think it’s going to be that tough; this is no different than checking an ID for someone who wants a beer,” he said.

    Employees at the impacted establishments who are not fully vaccinated will have the option to be tested for COVID on a weekly basis.

    The order does not go into effect until Jan. 3 to give businesses time to adapt and train workers, but there will be enforcement and possible fines.

    One restaurant owner said they are not against a vaccine passport, but it just adds another requirement for workers, which he called a “heavy lift.”

    However, it’s been a pretty straightforward process at Replay in Andersonville.

    “We have door people at the bar locations, they just check IDs as they check vaccine cards. It’s been a non-issue,” said Replay owner Mark Liberson.

    Liberson has been requiring proof of vaccination at Replay and his four other bars since June. While he has lost some business, Liberson said most of customers have supported the requirement and said a citywide mandate for bars and restaurants will make it easier to operate.

    “I think what this is going to do is really going to communicate a consistent standard, so we won’t be the only ones,” Liberson said.

    “Establishments will be required to one, post signage at each publicly accessible entrance and at least one location inside informing patrons of the vaccination requirements,” said Ken Meyer with CMSR business and consumer protection.

    They will also have to provide proof of how they plan to implement the requirement. There’s a planned webinar to help businesses.

    While the “get tested” or “show proof of vaccination” requirement may indeed make more people feel comfortable going out to eat, one restaurant owner is concerned that it could also have the opposite effect and further hurt their business.

    “It is frightening thinking about how can this affect our business and even more than it already has, so it’s a little bit frightening. But on the other end of that as just a civilian of Chicago, right, it is comforting because with the omicron cases sweeping through the United States now, I think it gives people a sense of security that when you’re dining out you will be a little bit safer,” said Niki Flores of Chicago’s Pizza.

    Justin Jacobson, a business owner with Platinum Sanitation, agrees.

    “To start putting limitations on businesses that are already struggling, there’s enough problems going on out here that we have to worry about, rather than going into one of these restaurants,” Jacobson said.

    One Chicago woman who asked not to be identified said Wednesday could be her last time bringing her 5-year-old twin daughters out to eat in the city.

    “I’m not going to get my kids vaccinated because I feel like they are too young, and it made me sick the second dose so I don’t want them to go through what I went through,” she said. ‘They are trying to force everyone to get the vaccination by going through the kids.”

    The Fifty/50 Restaurant Group said they are prepared for some pushback from customers.

    “I think it might drive unvaccinated customers away, and I’m OK with that,” Weiner added.

    Wiener is convinced having everyone vaccinated at his restaurants will end up being good for business.

    The Illinois Restaurant Associated released a statement following the announcement that said, “Chicago’s hospitality community is in a very fragile stage of recovery. Throughout the pandemic, the industry has prioritized customer and team member safety above all else, and the IRA strongly supports vaccinations for everyone to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. We encourage all diners to please lend their cooperation, respect and kindness to the employees working to comply with the new mandate during these challenging times.”

    This new mitigation effort is aimed at stemming the spread of the omicron variant, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now says is responsible for 73% of all new COVID cases.

    The announcement comes as Illinois reported the largest single-day increase of the year Monday, with 12,328 new cases. Health officials also said 60% of the state’s population is now fully vaccinated, as of Tuesday.

    The recent surge comes just as large family gatherings and crowded airports could send numbers even higher.

    Right now, there are nearly 4,000 patients with COVID in Illinois. More than 800 of those patients are in ICU beds, which worries some health care workers at Silver Cross Hospital in southwest suburban New Lenox.

    “We are nearing our capacity but we do have contingency plans in place to add ICU beds if needed,” said Dr. Atul Gupta, medical director with infection prevention at Silver Cross Hospital. “We’re hoping not to get to that point.”

    In Chicago and suburban Cook County, availability is better. Across Will and Kankakee counties, only 5% of ICU beds are available.

    Test positivity rate in Illinois is now at 7.1%.

    Indoor mask mandates will remain in place for the immediate future, or at least until the surge is over.

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    Chicago to Require Vaccine Proof for Indoor Spaces Like Restaurants, Bars, Gyms – NBC Chicago

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    Chicago will soon require proof of vaccination for indoor public spaces like restaurants, bars and gyms in the new year, the city’s mayor announced Tuesday, joining other big cities like New York and Los Angeles in adding the requirement as COVID cases surge.

    Beginning Jan. 3, anyone age 5 and older will be required to show proof of full vaccination to dine inside or visit gyms or entertainment venues where food and drinks are being served.

    The city said the policy is “in response to an alarming rise in COVID-19 cases both locally and nationally, driven in part by the omicron variant.”

    “Despite our diligent and equitable vaccine distribution efforts throughout this year,
    unfortunately, our city continues to see a surge of COVID-19 Delta and now Omicron cases,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a statement. “New steps must be taken to protect the health and wellbeing of our residents. This public health order requiring proof of vaccination to visit certain indoor public places is a necessary measure to ensure we can continue to enjoy our city’s many amenities as we enter the new year.”

    According to the new guidelines, those 5 and older must show proof of full vaccination, but anyone ages 16 and older will also need to provide identification that matches their vaccination record. Employees at such venues will also need to either be vaccinated or wear a mask and show proof of weekly negative COVID-19 tests.

    Chicago Department of Public Health Dr. Allison Arwady gave the latest COVID-19 metrics in the city as officials announced a new vaccine requirement in public places Tuesday.

    The city noted its indoor mask mandate also remains in effect.

    “This new requirement will not eliminate COVID risk, but it will help ensure a much safer indoor environment for fully vaccinated Chicagoans, as well as for the employees working in these higher-risk settings. As we head further into the winter months, we must take this step now,” Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said in a statement. “With Omicron, I do expect to see many more COVID reinfections and breakthrough cases, but luckily the vaccines continue to protect very well against severe illness, hospitalization, and death—and even more so when people have also had a booster shot. I remain most worried about the hundreds of thousands of Chicagoans who still have not received a single dose of COVID vaccine nor recovered from COVID infection. I’m worried for their own health, but also for the risk they pose to others’ health and to our hospital capacity—and while we are in this concerning surge, we must limit that risk.”

    Here are the full requirements:

    Indoor Dining

    Establishments where food or beverages are served, including, but not limited to, restaurants, bars, fast food establishments, coffee shops, tasting rooms, cafeterias, food courts, dining areas of grocery stores, breweries, wineries, distilleries, banquet halls, and hotel ballrooms

    Indoor Fitness

    Gyms and fitness venues, including, but not limited to, gyms, recreation facilities, fitness centers, yoga, Pilates, cycling, barre, and dance studios, hotel gyms, boxing and kickboxing gyms, fitness boot camps, and other facilities used for conducting indoor group fitness classes.

    Indoor entertainment and recreation venues where food or beverages are served

    Including, but not limited to, movie theaters, music and concert venues, live performance venues, adult entertainment venues, commercial event and party venues, sports arenas, performing arts theaters, bowling alleys, arcades, card rooms, family entertainment centers, play areas, pool and billiard halls, and other
    recreational game centers.

    Places Not Included in the Requirement

    The vaccine requirement does not include houses of worship; grocery stores (though indoor dining sections within grocery stores would be included); locations in O’Hare International Airport or Midway International Airport; locations in a residential or office building the use of which is limited to residents, owners, or tenants of that building; or food service establishments providing only charitable food services, such as soup kitchens. Schools and day cares also are not included in the order.

    Businesses will be required to develop and keep a written record of their plans for implementing and enforcing the vaccine requirement while also posting signage at entrances.

    There are some exemptions to the requirement, however, city officials noted. Those include:

    • Individuals entering an establishment for less than 10 minutes for ordering and
    carrying out food; delivering goods; or using the bathroom;
    • A nonresident performing artist who does not regularly perform or render services
    in a covered location, or a nonresident individual accompanying such a performing
    artist, while the performing artist or individual is in a covered location for the
    purposes of such artist’s performance;
    • A nonresident professional athlete or a nonresident individual accompanying such
    professional athlete, who enters a covered location as part of their regular
    employment for purposes of the professional athlete/sports team competition;
    • Individuals who have previously received a medical or religious exemption (e.g.
    from an employer), provided such patrons show the establishment proof of the
    medical or religious exemption and a COVID-19 test administered by a medical
    professional within the last 72 hours prior to entering.
    • An individual 18 years of age or younger who enters a covered location to
    participate in an activity organized by a school or after-school program offered by
    any pre-kindergarten through grade twelve public or non-public school; and
    • An individual who enters for the purposes of voting in a municipal, state, or federal
    election; or, pursuant to law, assisting or accompanying a voter or observing such
    election

    City health officials had been saying for weeks that vaccine proof may soon be required for certain indoor activities and public spaces.

    Several restaurants and venues have already required proof of vaccination or negative tests to enter regardless of citywide rules.

    “There’s no denying that we are in a fifth wave of COVID-19,” Lightfoot said during an address Tuesday. “This new wave is seemingly more deadly than the last, spreading faster and causing profound harm. I have not been this concerned about COVID-19 since the early days of the pandemic in 2020.”

    Cook County health officials also encouraged heightened mitigations last week as suspected omicron cases continued to grow in the suburbs just outside of the city.

    The county said that while the delta variant remains the prominent variant, case counts, case rates, test positivity, hospitalizations and deaths “are all increasing.”

    “CCDPH is issuing Increased mitigation practices for individuals and businesses,” the county health department said in a release. “CCDPH urges suburban Cook County residents to follow them to slow the spread of COVID-19. We must continue to work together to keep each other healthy and to avoid overwhelming the healthcare system.”

    In Chicago alone the average daily case rate has risen to 991 per day, a 79% increase from the week prior. Daily hospitalizations and deaths have also seen increases in the last week, city data shows.

    Across Illinois, cases and hospitalizations continue to rise leading up to the holiday.

    According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, the state has reported 12,328 new cases of the virus in the last day, the most it has recorded in a single day in 2021. In fact, the number is the most in a single day since Dec. 1, 2020, when 12,542 new cases were reported, according to IDPH data.

    At least 17 omicron cases have been detected so far in Illinois, according to IDPH, with local health officials confirming at least two in the Chicago area, one being in the city itself.

    At the same time, the state is also seeing a surge in newly-hospitalized coronavirus patients, with more residents seeking emergency medical care than at any point so far this year.

    Still, while they encourage local authorities to make decisions on a regional level, state officials have said there are currently no plans to bring back restrictions at a statewide level just yet.

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    Chicago Announces Indoor Mask Mandate For All, Regardless of Vaccination Status – NBC Chicago

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    The city of Chicago announced Tuesday an indoor mask mandate for all individuals 2 years and older, regardless of vaccination status, beginning Friday, Aug. 20.

    “With the highly transmissible Delta variant causing case rates to increase, now is the time to re-institute this measure to prevent further spread and save lives,” said CDPH Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady in a statement. “We continue to track the data closely and are hopeful this will only be temporary and we can bend the COVID curve, as we’ve done in the past.”

    According to Arwady, masks are required in all indoor public settings, “including bars and restaurants, gyms, common areas of condos and multi-residential buildings, and private clubs.”

    “Similar to previous mask mandates, masks can be removed at restaurants, bars and other eating/drinking establishments by patrons when they are actively eating and drinking,” Arwady said in a statement. “Masks can also be removed for certain activities that require their removal, such as beard shaves or facials. Additionally, masks can be removed by employees in settings that are not open to the public, if employees are static and maintaining at least six feet from all other individuals (office cubicles, for example).”

    The mandate announcement comes a day after Chicago surpassed the metric of 400 average new cases of COVID-19 diagnosed per day, a figure that city health officials warned earlier in the pandemic would mark a “line in the sand” to implement more mitigations.

    Chicago was averaging 419 new COVID-19 cases per day as of Monday, according to city data. That metric was up from 347 the week before, having grown by 21% in the past week.

    That figure is also more than 12 times the low of 34 that the city saw in late June, before cases began to rise again, but remains lower than the more than 700 new cases per day the city was seeing at the peak of the last surge earlier this year.

    On July 19, Chicago’s average daily COVID case rate was at 132, meaning the number of average new cases per day has more than tripled in the past four weeks.

    While cases continue to steadily rise, other metrics have not been increasing at the same rate, city data shows.

    Hospitalizations in Chicago are down 18% from last week while deaths are down 24%, per the city’s data. But the positivity rate in testing is up to 4.3% this week, an increase from 3.8% last week, which was up each week since it was at 1% a month ago.

    The average of 419 new cases per day recorded Monday is over the threshold of 400 that Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said just over a year ago “really marks line in the sand” to bring back restrictions to slow the pandemic’s spread.

    City officials cited that metric last year in announcing that Chicago Public Schools would begin the 2020-2021 school year with fully remote learning.

    That figure of 400 cases per day is also the equivalent of the threshold Chicago officials use to determine if states should be added to the city’s travel advisory, recommending unvaccinated individuals entering the city from those areas test negative for COVID-19 or quarantine upon arrival.

    “It’s the equivalent of needing to go back to a phase three, really pulling back on major activities,” Arwady said in August 2020, before any of the three vaccines currently in use were available.

    But Arwady said Tuesday that vaccines have changed the way the city approaches that metric of average daily case rate, taking other data into account in its evolving pandemic response.

    “So we actually have not changed any of those cut offs at any point throughout COVID,” Arwady said during a Facebook Live broadcast Tuesday, responding to a question about her previous comments on 400 being a “line in the sand.”

    Arwady said that over 200 cases per day puts Chicago in the category of “moderate” or “substantial” transmission, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while more than 400 cases per day moves the city into the “higher risk setting for transmission.”

    “When we get over 800 cases a day, that’s the highest risk setting, but I want to be clear that that risk is especially for people who are unvaccinated,” Arwady continued. “And so, as vaccine has come into the picture, what we’ve seen is that the other indicators that we follow have actually stayed at that lower risk level. Yes, our percent positivity is over 4% but while we’re under 5%, we actually are in that lower risk category, not even the moderate. CDC defines anything under 10% positivity as in that moderate. Our hospitalizations or deaths remain low. And that is because vaccine is available for adults, it is older unvaccinated adults who continue to account for the majority of our severe outcomes and that’s where a lot of our focus has been.”

    “I’ve been really careful to try not to change those lines, to try not to change those data,” she added. “I know it can feel like things are just moving all the time and where are they, but those risks are based on if you’re out and about in Chicago, how likely is it that you will potentially encounter somebody with COVID, and it’s not only about cases it’s also about positivity.”

    Mayor Lori Lightfoot warned last month that reaching over 200 new cases per day would be the threshold at which the city might reinstate a mask mandate – then later backed off that assertion.

    “Well, look, if we get back into an area where we feel like we’re in a red zone, which we are working very hard to make sure that our daily case rate is below 200, if we start to see consistently going over that, we’re not only going to look at a mask mandate, but we’re going to look back at other tools that we’ve been compelled to use,” Lightfoot said in an interview with the New York Times. “I hope we don’t get there. What we’re going to keep focusing on is pushing the vaccine. But my number one priority is to keep people safe.”

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its guidance late last month to recommend that fully vaccinated people wear masks in indoor settings again in areas of the U.S. that are seeing “substantial” or “high” transmission of COVID-19.

    Chicago, as well as 98 of Illinois’ 102 counties, is seeing “high” transmission, triggering the recommendation to wear masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status.

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    Illinois COVID Update Today: IL reports 578 cases, 12 deaths as test positivity climbs

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    CHICAGO (WLS) — Illinois public health officials reported 578 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 12 related deaths Tuesday.

    There have been 1,397,667 total COVID cases, including 23,336 deaths in the state since the pandemic began.

    The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from July 6-13 is at 2.1%. May 30, 2021 was the last time the state’s test positivity was that high.

    Chicago COVID vaccine map shows how many residents vaccinated by zip code

    As COVID-19 cases rise in Illinois, health officials are tracking the trend to a rise in cases downstate, home to Illinois’ lowest vaccinations rates.

    “We are seeing more cases in places where the vaccination rates are lower and that is concerning,” said Dr. Rachel Bernard, medical director, Chicago Department of Public Health.

    According to IDPH data, the Southwestern regions of the state are seeing the highest spike. In the span of 30 days, Region 3 climbed from 1% to 5%. Region 4, to almost 8%; and Region 5 seeing a 4-percentage point increase in positivity rates.

    “It is beginning but it is not significant enough to overwhelm our hospitals yet, so that is good, but if we continue to follow this path it is possible and something that people should be concerned about,” said Shawnna Wrhine, outreach coordination for the Southern Seven Health Department, which covers the seven counties in the southernmost tip of the state.

    Summer camps hit with COVID outbreaks — are schools next?

    Within just a week’s time, Southern Seven Health Department saw a 200% increase in COVID cases.

    “At this point we are very concerned as to why there is still hesitancy among residents there,” Wrhine said.

    The Southern Seven is also home to the county with the lowest vaccination rate in Illinois. In Alexander County, only 14 percent of the people who live there are fully vaccinated.

    “There is concern that the vaccine is not effective. That the virus is a hoax,” Wrhine said.

    Illinois COVID vaccine map shows how many residents vaccinated by county

    With those lower vaccination rates come higher rates of transmission and a greater risk for the more infectious delta variant.

    “We are assuming at this point that the delta variant is here. We want residents to be cognizant of that,” Wrhine said.

    State health officials are now reporting dozens of new cases of the Delta variant, with 236 total cases of the new strain. Infectious disease experts in Chicago are expecting citywide numbers to rise as well.

    “Every time there has been a holiday in the following two to three weeks we have seen an increase in numbers and then 2-3 weeks after we see more hospitalizations,” said Dr. John Segreti, Rush University Medical Center.

    Missouri, Arkansas added back on Chicago Travel Advisory amid rise in COVID-19 cases

    The delta variant is being blamed for the surge in COVID-19 cases across the country, particularly in Arkansas, where doctors worried the surge there could be the deadliest.

    “You can’t ignore the fact that Arkansas has a low vaccination rate compared to other states,” said Dr. Steppe Mette. “And the delta variant is the predominant variant in the state. You put those two together, and you’re in for the perfect storm.”

    The delta variant is also a major concern in neighboring state Missouri, where the CDC said the variant makes up nearly 75% of sequenced new cases. And after several weeks with no states on its travel advisory, Chicago’s Department of Public Health announced Arkansas and Missouri have been added back on the list.

    “Those cases have gone above the threshold for what we would consider to be at higher risk,” Bernard said.

    Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported testing 31.841 specimens for a total of 26,183,998 since the pandemic began.

    As of Monday night, 498 patients in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 108 patients were in the ICU and 40 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.

    A total of 12,851,005 vaccines have been administered in Illinois as of Monday. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 20,794. There were 25,902 vaccines administered in Illinois Monday.

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    Chicago COVID: Restrictions may return in suburban Cook County if coronavirus cases continue to rise, health officials say

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    CHICAGO (WLS) — Suburban Cook County may be on the brink of having new restrictions imposed after health officials reported a sharp increase in COVID-19 case numbers.

    The Illinois Department of Public Health reported more than 2,800 new confirmed and probably cases of COVID-19 with hundreds of those in Cook County.

    There are fears numbers of cases will be higher after Easter. County leaders warn that if this upward trend does not change, new restrictions could be coming.

    Officials are working to figure out what is causing this spike while threatening the possibility of returning restrictions. Cook County Health said that could mean clamping down on indoor activities like going to restaurants and fitness clubs. Meanwhile, officials are asking people to stay outdoors with gatherings, masked up and socially distant as much as possible.

    “We’ve seen over 600 new cases in suburban Cook in our jurisdiction alone,” said Dr. Rachel Rubin. “And so that means that we are in the beginnings of another surge.”

    Now, county health officials said the uptick in cases could translate to new restrictions imposed if those numbers do not go down.

    Cook County Health said the county is on the cusp of another surge. Recent data showed noticeable increases in new cases among people their 20s and 30s, and the positivity rate nearly doubled from the past weeks.

    According to recent data, the most significant rise in cases is among the 20s and 30 age group, and the positivity rate nearly doubled from weeks past.

    “Our overall positivity rate, I think, is now maybe about five, we were down to three and this is a big problem,” Dr. Rubin said.

    Despite the expansion of ongoing vaccination efforts, the rising case numbers have county officials contemplating what needs to be done.

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    “We may very well have to clamp down within a matter of days. I’m not promising that one way or another,” Dr. Rubin said. “We need to evaluate exactly what kinds of activities and movements are really pushing this surge.”

    That could mean bringing back restrictions on businesses.

    “We need to continue to be safe and those are really the messages and if we need to clamp down more on our [mitigation], you know, back off a little bit on indoor kinds of activities and restaurants and fitness clubs and such like that — we hope that it won’t reach that point that we may need to do that,” Dr. Rubin added.

    Evanston resident Archie Ong has seen his city go through so many changes over the past year

    “It’s going to be a major setback, obviously, a lot of the restaurants here are struggling,” Ong said. “There’s been a number of restaurants that have closed so I hope, I hope it doesn’t happen.”

    RELATED: COVID vaccine: Read these tips before getting your shot

    He and his family still stay home for the most part and hopes others who may think the worse is over will do the same.

    “People are getting vaccinated and thinking it’s safe. I guess it is maybe safe but at the same time I think we shouldn’t really relax that much,” Ong added.

    For now, health officials recommend keeping things outdoors while continuing to mask up and keep distance.

    Copyright © 2021 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.



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