Health officials identified Lake County’s first case of the UK-spread COVID-19 variant Saturday
Meanwhile, Chicago officials appealed to residents to remember the coronavirus security protocol ahead of the expected Super Bowl events.
Here are the latest COVID-19 headlines from across the state:
Lake County reports first case of COVID-19 variant
Health officials on Saturday identified the first case of the COVID-19 variant.
The Lake County Department of Health has reported the first case of the coronavirus variant B.1.1.7, which is the strain that has spread the most in the UK in recent months.
The person infected with the variant traveled internationally and was in contact with a sick person before returning to the US at the end of December, health officials said.
According to the department, the individual did not experience any symptoms of the coronavirus.
“We expect to see more cases of this new variant in Lake County, as it appears to be spreading easier and faster than other variants,” said Dr. Sana Ahmed, medical epidemiologist for LCHD, said. “It is extremely important that you follow and test quarantine recommendations if you have traveled or been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.”
Health officials have pointed out that studies suggest that the currently available COVID-19 vaccine is effective against the new strains.
Click here for more information on the new coronavirus strain.
Illinois reports 3,062 new COVID-19 cases, 60 additional deaths Saturday
Illinois health officials on Saturday reported 3,062 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus, along with 60 additional deaths attributed to the virus.
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, on Saturday, with the new cases, the state brings in 1,144,281 cases of the virus in the state, with 19,585 deaths attributed to COVID-19 since the pandemic began last year.
In the last 24 hours, 90 295 test samples were submitted in state laboratories, bringing the total number of tests performed in the country to 16 555 035.
The positive seven-day rate rose slightly to 3.4% on Saturday from 3.3% the previous day. The positivity rate on individuals tested during that time dropped to 4.2%.
As of Friday night, there were 2,271 coronavirus patients in Illinois hospitals. Of the patients, 485 were in intensive care units, while 246 were in ventilators.
The total number of vaccine doses administered so far stands at 1,294,498 doses, including 188,351 at long-term care institutions through the federal partnership with pharmacies.
A total of 2,132,025 doses were sent to Illinois, with the 7-day average number of vaccines administered daily at 49,909 doses.
Chicago officials insist on safety this weekend amid Super Bowl celebrations
As the coronavirus pandemic continues in Chicago, city officials have reminded residents to safely celebrate Super Bowl Sunday.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Allison Arwady on Friday advised people to take safety precautions, especially as the city sees the lowest COVID-19 positivity rates since October.
“We’ve made so much progress over the last few weeks – this is not the time to wake us up,” Lightfoot said. “I will watch the game with my wife and daughter at home, and I urge all Chicago residents to do the same and avoid gatherings. Let’s not make the Super Bowl a super-distributor event! ”
City officials have reminded that traditional Super Bowl gatherings could have the potential to be coronavirus super-distribution events, so they urge residents to pick up at a local bar or restaurant, as well as avoid parties with mixed households.
According to Lightfoot and Arwady, this is the best way to avoid indoor meetings with people outside the household. However, when guests are indoors, health officials said people should keep a distance of six meters and wear face masks.
“Although Super Bowl parties of all kinds are strongly discouraged, Chicago residents are reminded that home gatherings by health order should be limited to a maximum of ten individuals,” reads a statement.
Because the city is in Phase 4 coronavirus mitigation, the following regulations apply when going to pubs or restaurants:
- Six people per table
- Six feet distance between tables
- Indoor capacity limited to less than 25% or 25 individuals
Business and consumer protection workers will visit entertainment venues in the city of Chicago ahead of the big event Sunday ahead of the big event.
CPS Pre-K and Cluster students return Tuesday as dispute with CTU continues
Chicago Public Schools on Friday unveiled a detailed plan for returning to personal tutoring, asking students in pre-K and cluster programs to be back in classrooms on Tuesday, even as the student debate with the Chicago Teachers Union continues. .
During the phase reopening, teachers and staff from pre-K and cluster will return to school buildings on Monday, with students joining them the next day.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Friday morning the city and CPS had submitted the “last, best and last offer” to the union.
CTU president Jesse Sharkey said the offer in question was “unbearable” and a “threat” to deter students from attending school.
Sharkey said the offer of CPS would disrupt personal learning if there were COVID-19 outbreaks in 50% of the buildings simultaneously, which he said amounted to more than 200 schools. He also noted that the proposal “75 per cent of educators with household members who are at high risk for COVID-19 deny a distance stay to workers” and that it will not make any improvement in distance education, although four out of five students remain remote.
Although agreements have been reached on a number of issues, the following remain outstanding according to the school district: vaccinations, accommodation for staff with vulnerable household members, measures regarding the interruption of personal learning and a phased reopening.
According to the phased reopening proposal announced by CPS on Friday, kindergartens will be returned to school buildings by fifth-grade teachers and staff on Tuesday 16 February, with their students returning on Monday 22 February.
The sixth to eighth grade teachers and staff will return to the classrooms on Monday, February 22, with their students on March 1st.
A limited number of students in the pre-K programs returned to the classrooms in accordance with the district plan last month, although the students were moved back to distance education after the union vote.
Thousands of primary school staff and teachers were expected to return to schools last week, with an estimated 71,000 students joining them on Monday – although both were postponed amid the unconditional postponement.
Read more here.
Kroger pays workers $ 100 to receive COVID-19 vaccine
Kroger is offering a $ 100 incentive for employees who receive both doses of COVID-19 vaccine as a way to encourage co-workers to be vaccinated, the Cincinnati grocery store retailer announced Friday.
According to a company news release, the vaccine payment will be offered to all associates who provide proof of vaccination to their staff member.
Employees who are unable to receive the vaccine due to medical or religious reasons have the option of completing a health and safety training course to receive the payment.
The company also announced an additional $ 50 million investment to thank and reward employees, including a $ 100 credit store and 1,000 fuel points for employees of the hourly grocery, supply chain, manufacturing, pharmacy and call centers.
The grocery store in the Chicago area, Mariano’s, is a subsidiary of Kroger.
Chicago closes COVID test sites in city for few days due to weather
With a bitterly cold period hitting the Chicago area, coronavirus test sites in Chicago will be closed for a few days, officials announced Thursday.
Starting Friday, the city’s test sites will close for five days until Feb. 10, the Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications tweeted.
The move is “due to inclement weather.”
Read more here.
80 new COVID vaccination sites open in Illinois, state known
The state of Illinois has added 80 new COVID-19 vaccination sites, according to a news release from state health officials Thursday.
More than 3.2 million of the state’s residents are eligible for phase 1B vaccinations, which target people aged 65 and older as well as ‘essential workers’.
A total of 390 vaccination sites opened across the state.
The newly established sites contain 78 additional Walgreens sites, as well as two Illinois National Guard sites in Cook and St. Louis. Clair.
Current officials said the current vaccination sites in the state are available by appointment only, but the state plans to start boarding in the coming weeks.
For a complete look at ways you can make an appointment or where you can get information on vaccines for your area, click here.
The whole of Illinois is now in phase 4 after the last region limited regions
All of Illinois is now under Phase 4 coronavirus guidelines after the last of the state’s 11 increasingly stringent mitigations on Thursday weakened some of the restrictions to the same level as the rest of the state, health officials announced .
Region 4, also known as the Metro East region in southern Illinois, switched directly from Tier 2 mitigation to Phase 4 and skipped Tier 1 altogether. The move means all 11 regions of the state are now in phase 4 after the state allowed the territories to move forward mid-January after the holiday period.
Regions 8 and 9 – which include the provinces of DuPage, Kane, Lake and McHenry in the Chicago area – were able to further weaken the restrictions on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Region 10, which has the suburb of Cook County, moved to Phase 4 while Region 7, which includes Will and Kankakee provinces, returned on Monday. The city of Chicago entered an amended version of the phase over the weekend.