Discovery of new XE variants, COVID and allergic symptoms – NBC Chicago

According to the latest epidemiological information from the World Health Organization, the new COVID-19 XE variant may be more infectious than the already contagious BA.2 omicron strain.

On the other hand, more and more people are asking whether the runny nose and cough associated with spring weather are symptoms of seasonal allergies and coronaviruses.

Here’s what you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic in Illinois today:

XE variant: The new COVID strain may be more contagious than the BA.2 subvariant, WHO said.

The more contagious Omicron subvariant BA.2 has become the predominant COVID-19 strain in the United States, but international health experts are increasingly focusing on new hybrid variants that may be even more infectious. I’m guessing.

The XE variant is a recombinant and is composed of the genetic material of two other strains (in this case BA.1 which is the original strain of Omicron and BA.2 known as “Stealth Omcron”). ..

The latest epidemiology information released by the World Health Organization on March 29 shows that XE is 10% more infectious than BA.2, but the findings need further confirmation. am.

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COVID vs. Allergies: Here’s how to tell the difference:

Pollen clears the air, leaving a variant of COVID, and it can be difficult to determine the cause behind the sneeze. So how can you tell the difference between the two?

Experts say that the only real way to know the answer is to take a test, but until then, health officials say they treat possible symptoms as COVIDs.

The following is a list of COVIDs and allergic symptoms outlined by the CDC.

Illinois Coronavirus: New 8K Case, 87 Deaths Last Week as Slightly Elevated Case

Health officials in Illinois have reported 8,426 new COVID-19 cases and 87 additional deaths in the past week, showing a slight increase in cases following a few weeks of decline, but deaths. It has decreased continuously.

Last week, the state reported 8,039 and 109 deaths. In the previous week, 7,467 new cases and 123 deaths were reported.

A total of 3,069,650 coronaviruses have been reported in the state since the outbreak of the pandemic, according to the latest data from the Illinois Public Health Service. Due to the additional deaths, the state has resulted in 33,394 confirmed COVID deaths.

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Over 40% of high school students felt “persistent” sad and hopeless during the COVID pandemic: CDC

According to a groundbreaking study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-third of high school students experienced a “mental health decline” during the COVID-19 pandemic, and nearly half said they were “permanently”. He states that he felt sadness and despair. The last two years.

According to a survey, 44% of high school students said they felt “persistently sad or desperate” during the COVID pandemic. According to people familiar with the matter, 37% of students said their mental health had declined last year.

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The BA.2 Omicron subvariant is the dominant COVID strain in Chicago, says Top Doctor.

According to the city’s top doctors, the BA.2 Omicron subvariant accounts for more than half of all COVID-19 cases across Chicago as of Thursday, as Chicago continues to monitor widespread tensions.

“As expected, we were roughly estimating it. [by] At the end of the month, we found that the majority of cases here in Chicago and the Midwest, or more than 50%, were of that Omicron BA.2, “Chicago Public Health Director Dr. Allison Arwady said Thursday. rice field. “And in fact, that’s exactly where we are, 50.4%.”

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COVID Vaccine Booster Shot: What You Should Know As a Fourth Inoculation Approved by Some People

Federal Regulatory Authority Approved a second booster dose of COVID vaccineWho is currently eligible for a particular group and what can be expected with a fourth dose?

The breakdown of what we know so far is as follows.

Chicago continues to monitor BA.2 Omicron subvarieties and sees an increase in COVID cases

Chicago officials continue to monitor the BA.2 omicron subvariant, with a “slight increase” in cases of COVID-19 over the past week, testing positive, the Ministry of Health said Wednesday. ..

Despite the uptrend, the Chicago Public Health Service said the city was “well-controlled” for outbreaks, even after removing mask and vaccine requirements about a month ago.

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BA.2 Symptoms, Protection, etc .: What is known as the growth of the Omicron subvariant

The news about the BA.2 Omicron subvariant continues to grow as it becomes the dominant COVID strain not only in the Midwest but throughout the United States, but what do you need to be aware of?

Experts say what happens in the United States in the coming weeks can be important for the United States to follow in the footsteps of Europe.

So what is BA.2, what are the symptoms associated with it, where is it detected and how contagious is it? The breakdown is as follows.

BA.2’Stealth Omicron’Subvariant Midwest Predominant COVID Strain: CDC

The BA.2 subvariant of COVID-19, also known as “Stealth Omicron,” is currently the leading strain of the virus in the Midwest and the United States, according to new estimates released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday.

Data released on Tuesday, Reflects estimates of COVID cases According to the CDC website, the diagnosis was made between March 19th and March 26th.

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FDA approves another Pfizer, over 50 Moderna COVID boosters

US regulators approved another COVID-19 booster for people over the age of 50 on Tuesday. This is a step towards providing additional protection to the most vulnerable people in the event of a coronavirus rebound.

At the Food and Drug Administration’s decision, a fourth dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine will be given to those people at least 4 months after the last booster.

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COVID Region, Illinois: Metrics Shows Slight Uptrend in Communities Suburbs of Chicago

While most of Illinois has a stable or downward trend in COVID indicators, some communities in the Chicago region have recently seen a slight increase in positive rates.

According to the latest data from the Illinois Public Health Service, the highest positive rate of the 11 medical areas in the state is in area 8, which consists of Kane and DuPage counties.

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Illinois Stops COVID Testing at 10 State Sites

The Illinois Department of Health announced plans to shut down such sites in the state at the end of the month because “the demand for COVID-19 testing services has dropped significantly.”

According to health officials, the site is running “less than 1 percent of tests conducted state-wide.”

“According to IDPH Data G, the number of daily tests performed at these sites will be the lowest on record, with less than 50 people per day at each site,” said the Department of Health. .. “Availability of free home COVID-19 testing from the federal government, a state-wide network of federal qualified medical centers, and numerous SHIELD saliva testing site Throughout Illinois, there are ample and convenient opportunities for Illinois residents to access tests as needed. “

However, the ministry said the state was “currently in a strong position to respond to the potential surge.”

Ten locations will be out of service for testing, vaccination, or both after March 31st. Locations include Aurora, Arlington Heights, South Holland, Fairview Heights, Peoria, Bloomington, Champaign, Harwood Heights, Rockford, and Walkie Gun.

How more infectious is BA.2 than Omicron?This is what the doctor says

As the BA.2 Omicron subvariant spreads throughout the United States, some wonder, in particular, whether BA.2 is more contagious than the original Omicron strain.

BA.2 has been a steady percentage of COVID mutations prevalent in the United States since February 5, accounting for approximately 1% of sequenced virus samples, according to data released this week by the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Is growing into.

BA.2 is rising in the United States, but major public health officials expect a further dramatic surge in cases, primarily due to levels of immunity to vaccination and violent outbreaks during the winter Omicron wave. Is not …

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How long do you need to quarantine with COVID? The CDC recommends the following:

As cases of coronavirus begin to increase in some parts of the United States, residents are seeking reminders of what to do if they are exposed to people who test positive for COVID-19.

Omicron’s BA.2 subvariant drives an increasing trend of cases in many locations, including the Midwest. According to the latest data from the CDCThe Omicron variant remains the major strain of virus in the United States, with the BA.2 subvariant, also known as “stealth Omicron,” accounting for about 35% of cases last week.

In the Midwest, the BA.2 subvariant is estimated to be involved in more than 30% of new COVID cases last week.

So what if you are exposed to someone infected with COVID? It depends on whether you are up to date on your vaccination. Here’s what you need to know:

Chicago Travel Recommendations: COVID Prevention Measures Advised in 9% of US Under New Guidance

On Friday, the Chicago Public Health Service issued new travel recommendations in line with federal guidelines, encouraging COVID-19 precautions in regions of the country that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers to be medium-risk or high-risk.

The CDPH issued a news release explaining that it has adjusted Chicago’s travel recommendations to match the CDC’s county-level guidance. This emphasizes hospitalization and hospital capacity, not strictly the number of cases. Under the new protocol, counties are considered to have a low, medium, or high risk of COVID infection.

Starting later this week, Chicago’s travel recommendations will look different as city officials have announced plans to change the way the recommendations are structured.

In mid-risk areas, people should “consider wearing masks in indoor public spaces,” according to health officials. In areas of high risk, it is advisable to wear a mask in such environments.

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What are the symptoms of Omicron subvariant BA.2.This is what the experts have said so far

A few months after the United States experienced a surge in cases of the Omicron variant, the focus was on another strain- BA.2, a subvariant of Omicron, Also known as “stealth omicron”.

BA.2 attracted attention as it caused an increase in infectious diseases in Europe earlier this month, and in recent weeks the number of cases has increased in New York City, where BA.2 appears to be on track to take over as the dominant strain. increase.

The BA.2 Omicron subvariant is expected to account for the majority of Chicago’s COVID cases by the end of the month, the city’s top doctor said Tuesday.

As of March 19, subvariants accounted for about 35% of COVID-19 cases in the United States, an increase of about 12% from the previous week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

recently, The number of cases is also increasing in the Midwest.

According to the CDC, the BA.2 subvariant accounted for over 30% of new COVID cases in regions of six states, including Illinois, in the week leading up to March 19.

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