Chicago returns to “high” alert level, BA.5 subvariant – NBC Chicago

Several Chicago district counties, which have fallen from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s highest alert levels in recent weeks, returned to “high community levels” last week, but what about the rest of Illinois?

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

COVID Symptoms and Colds: Here’s how to find the difference:

If you have recently suffered from a runny nose or sore throat, you may be wondering if it is a common cold, allergy, or COVID-19 infection.

Health officials say it can be difficult to determine what kind of illness you have based on your symptoms, but getting tested is one way to find out, including those who have been vaccinated. There are two ways. Experts say.

read more here..

Chicago returns to “high” COVID alert status as other regions see improvements

Three counties in the Chicago area and the city of Chicago have moved to “high” community-level status. For COVID-19 last week. However, this is not the case for the entire state, as the COVID situation in Illinois has improved overall.

Suburban Cook, Dupage, and Lake counties reported an increase in indicators, resulting in a transition from “medium” to “high” community level status, according to Thursday’s update of the community level map for each CDC county. did.

read more here..

27K new cases, 82 deaths last week, high levels in 20 counties

Illinois health officials have reported 27,094 new coronavirus cases and 82 additional deaths in the past week, leaving 20 counties across the state at the “high” community level of COVID-19. Therefore, it shows a slight decrease in cases from 7 days ago.

Last week, the state reported 27,112 new cases, 68 deaths and 25 counties at the “high” community level.

A week earlier, the state reported 34,001 new cases and 73 deaths.

read more here..

The BA.5 Omicron subvariant spreads rapidly and may become the predominant strain of COVID in the United States: CDC

According to the latest estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Omicron submutant, which has been the major strain of COVID-19 in the United States for over a month, is beginning to lose momentum, and yet another variant of Omicron is rapidly gaining momentum. The momentum is increasing.

These estimates indicate that Omicron’s BA.2.12.1 strain continues to be the leading strain of COVID-19 in the United States. An estimated 56% of cases are responsible.

read more here..

How long will you be protected from COVID after infection?

How long after being infected with COVID-19 is protected by the antibody and when can it be infected again with the virus?

Since Omicron constitutes almost all US COVID cases, the question is how protection from one version of Omicron works against the new subvariant.

read more here..

Are the symptoms of COVID changing in the new variant?Chicago’s top doc explains

Are the symptoms of COVID changed by the current spread of new Omicron subvariants throughout the United States?

The answer remains unclear, according to Chicago’s top doctors. Arwady pointed out that mild cases of the virus can make symptom determination more difficult.

“We often see a lot of very mild COVIDs,” she said, but she shows that some early studies show more severe illness, especially with the new BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants. I added that it might be.

read more here..

The risk level for the COVID-19 community in Chicago is currently moderate. However, as the use of coronavirus testing in the home becomes more widespread, so do the questions about the accuracy of the city’s COVID metrics.

More people are testing negatives for COVID before they finally test positives, says Topdoc.This is the reason

Chicago’s top doctor said Thursday that more people had multiple negative COVID tests, followed by exposure or a circulating symptom of a new submutant, and finally a positive test. ..

The reason behind the shift may be due to vaccination.

“I think some of the reasons are not necessarily so, especially if people are completely vaccinated or have previously been infected with COVID … they are so sick. No, “Dr. Chicago Public Health Secretary. Allison Arwadi said. “It’s like they haven’t learned much about the immune response and it can take some time for the test to be positive. The good news is generally … if the home test is negative, you Is not so much that the virus has enough potential to spread and spread. “

read more here..

Can children under the age of 5 be vaccinated against COVID in Walgreens?Here’s what you need to know

Thanks to last week’s approval from the Food and Drug Administration and recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years are ultimately eligible for the COVID vaccine.

According to the Chicago Public Health Department, hospitals, clinics and pediatrician offices in the city are accepting appointments and ordering both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

So are local pharmacies and drug stores.

However, not all children can receive the long-awaited injections at all vaccination sites.

The breakdown is as follows.

How long is COVID quarantined or quarantined?

How long do many people need to be quarantined or quarantined if they are exposed to COVID or have a positive COVID test as summer rallies surge and the heat wave sends people indoors? I’m wondering.

Take a look at the latest guidance from the CDC. This includes information about when to quarantine or separate and the incubation period.

COVID Vaccine for Children Under 5: How Fast and Where Can I Book?What you need to know

Where can parents take their children to get the first COVID vaccine, how early can they book, and what is the difference between the two vaccines?

While the provider waits for the shot to arrive, Here’s what you need to know:

Coronavirus FAQ: COVID symptoms may start soon, what to do if the test is positive

The COVID-19 pandemic has been around for over two years, but there are still many questions that individuals may have if they test positive for the virus.

With that positive test, patients may be interested in how long they are transmitted, how and how long they are quarantined, and what to do if the virus test is positive even after the symptoms have disappeared.

Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about viruses.

How long have you been infected with COVID?This is what the CDC says

If your coronavirus test is positive, you may have some questions about the duration of the infection, the duration of the quarantine, and so on.

Increasing cases of COVID in the Chicago area and parts of the United States have warned local health authorities to take precautions, especially in areas of increased risk of infection.

Take a look at the updated guidance from the CDC. Contains information about when to quarantine or quarantine and the incubation period.

How accurate is the home COVID test?This is what we have ever known

As the temperature rises and the number of summer gatherings and events soars, many people test for COVID-19 to make sure the virus isn’t spreading. How accurate is the test?

according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention“The positive results of the self-test are very reliable.”

However, negative results may not rule out infection, especially in people with COVID-19 symptoms, the CDC said.

detail here..

If the cough persists after recovering from COVID-19, is it still contagious? How long do you need to quarantine and when do you need to take the test? Dr. Allison Arwadi, Director of Public Health, Chicago, analyzes what you need to know.