Here’s what you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic across Illinois today.
Can dogs, cats and other pets contract COVID-19?, it's possible for animals to get COVID from people, but there's a low chance of animals spreading the virus to humans. Most animals infected with the coronavirus had close contact with people who had COVID, such as pet owners and caretakers, the CDC said online.
Coronavirus in Illinois: 60K New Cases, 608 Deaths in Last Week as Cases and Deaths Drop Illinois health officials reported 60,389 new COVID-19 cases over the past week, along with 608 additional deaths and over 200,000 new vaccine doses administered, marking a drop in cases and deaths from the previous week.The state’s positivity rate on tests in the last week dropped to 5.8%, a decrease from the 9.4% reported last Friday. Meanwhile, the positivity rate on individuals tested stands at 8%.‘Never COVID Cohort:' Chicago's Top Doc on Whether Genetics Can Help Guard Against Serious Illness The question of how some individuals seem to avoid contracting COVID-19 better than others has fascinated scientists throughout the pandemic, and Chicago’s top doctor cited a growing body of research that suggests there could be a variety factors at play when it comes to determining who gets sick with the virus and who doesn’t. Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, addressed the research that has been going on at a variety of levels to determine whether differences in immune systems and genetics can potentially offer more, or less, protection against COVID in different populations. While she said that the idea of a “never COVID cohort” isn’t exactly accurate, preferring instead to focus on the idea that some individuals could have more resistance to serious illness, she said that there are plenty of factors being researched on that front. “We’ve learned a lot about immunity, and there’s a lot we don’t know,” she said during a Thursday question-and-answer session. “Some of the most interesting basic science research four or five different hypotheses that you can measure in someone’s blood that can tell you that this person is at higher risk of having a more severe outcome from COVID.”Chicago Could Lift Vaccine Requirement ‘Not That Long From Now' If Downward Trends Continue: Arwady Chicago's vaccine mandate in place at bars, restaurants and gyms could be lifted"not that long from now" should the city continue to see COVID-19 metrics trending downward, according to Chicago's top doctor. As the city sees coronavirus cases, deaths and hospitalizations quickly decreasing, Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said in a Facebook live event Thursday that she hears people asking when the vaccine requirement could be removed. "Not next week, I will tell you that," Arwady said."But if we continue to see the drops like we've been dropping, it would not be that long from now, I think."Taste of Chicago and the Air and Water Show, among other spring and summer festivals, are set to make a return in 2022, many at"nearly their pre-pandemic size and scope," city officials announced Thursday. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events announced the dates for several notable festivals and special events hitting the city over coming months. "Chicago’s spring and summertime programming is cherished by our residents and bolsters our tourism, hospitality and creative industries,” Lightfoot said. “I am thrilled that we can bring back our iconic music and food festivals, as well as hundreds of other events. This will help to bring a sense of normalcy back to our city and revitalize the local economies of our neighborhoods.”Illinois Health Officials Begin Preparations as Pfizer Seeks Approval for Children Under 5 to Get COVID Vaccine With Pfizer submitting data Tuesday to the Food and Drug Administration to allow for an emergency use authorization on its COVID vaccine for children under the age of five, Illinois health officials are working to ready themselves to administer those shots as soon as the go-ahead is given. According to a press release issued by the Illinois Department of Public Health, officials are working to prepare for the likely event that the FDA will authorize COVID vaccine doses for children between the ages of 6 months and 4 years old. “We are looking forward to the availability of a COVID-19 vaccine for our youngest population, once it’s reviewed by the CDC,” Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of IDPH, said in a statement. “As we move toward coexisting with COVID-19, it is important that we are able to offer as much protection as possible from COVID-19-related hospitalizations for all ages.”A version of the omicron variant dubbed"stealth omicron" is being monitored by scientists and health experts around the world, and has now been detected in both Illinois and in Wisconsin, according to health officials.
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Here's What Dr. Fauci Says on Illinois' COVID Metrics, Masks and MoreAs Chicago and Illinois’ COVID-19 metrics plummet from their all-time peaks just weeks ago, the doctor leading America’s war against the virus sees signs for hope.
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Downstate Judge Issues Order Against Mask Mandate For Illinois Schools; Gov. Pritzker's Office AppealsUPDATE: A Illinois judge's ruling tonight against state rules on masks and other COVID mitigations for schools says, 'Any non-named Plaintiffs and School Districts throughout this State may govern themselves accordingly.' Gov. Pritzker is appealing.
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Illinois to Appeal Restraining Order Issued in School Mask Mandate Suit, Pritzker SaysIllinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday asked that the state Attorney General’s office immediately appeal a decision by a downstate judge to implement a restraining order barring schools from enforcing mask mandates, school exclusion protocols and COVID-19 testing requirements. The governor’s office issued a news release in which he referred to Sangamon County Circuit Court Judge Raylene Grischow’s decision as…
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Illinois school mask mandate in jeopardy after judge issues temporary restraining orderAn Illinois judge has granted a temporary restraining order in a lawsuit over the state's school mask mandate, though it was not immediately clear which schools it applied to.
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Judge's ruling against Illinois school mask mandate 'has potential to shut our schools down': IEAAn Illinois judge has granted a temporary restraining order in a lawsuit over the state's school mask mandate, though it was not immediately clear which schools it applied to.
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