Here’s what you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic across Illinois today.
"We are starting to see a little bit of a change here," Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said during a Facebook Live Tuesday, pointing specifically to changes in the BA.2.75 and a new BF.7 variant.A new COVID-19 variant growing in numbers as the BA.
But Chicago's top doctor, who recently recovered from COVID herself, said while there is no requirement to wait, some people might consider postponing their latest dose if they've been recently infected.After making headlines with comments that the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. is over, President Joe Biden is being taken to task by doctors who say that such language could paint an overly-rosy picture of the situation as the fall and winter months approach.
While health officials have said vaccines continue to show effective protection, particularly when it comes to severe outcomes of the virus, experts hope the newest shots could go even further.While the omicron subvariant BA.5 has been the dominant strain of COVID in the United States for several months, there are at least four other subvariants starting to gain ground in recent weeks.
The Chicago area has reported a sharp rise in child hospitalizations in recent weeks due to a variety of respiratory infections. Meanwhile, nearly two dozen Illinois counties remain at a high community level for COVID and allergy season continues to take its toll.With the arrival of the long-awaited COVID-19 booster shots geared to target BA.4 and BA.5 omicron subvariants, many may be curious about its possible side effects as they prepare for another vaccination.