Health officials have identified the first case in Lake County with the COVID-19 variant circulating in the UK on Saturday
Meanwhile, Chicago officials asked residents to remember the coronavirus safety protocol before Sunday’s Super Bowl meetings.
Here are the latest COVID-19 titles from across the country:
Lake County reports the first case of COVID-19
The first case of COVID-19 was identified in Lake County, health officials said on Saturday.
The Lake County Health Department has reported the first case of coronavirus variant B.1.1.7, which is the most common strain in the UK in recent months.
The person infected with the variant traveled internationally and was in contact with a sick person before leaving to return to the United States in late December, health officials said.
According to the department, the individual did not show any symptoms of coronavirus.
“We expect to see more cases of these new variants in Lake County, as they appear to be spreading more easily and faster than other variants,” said Dr. Sana Ahmed, an epidemiologist for LCHD. “It is extremely important that you follow the quarantine recommendations and be tested if you have traveled or been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.”
Health officials recalled that studies suggest that the currently available COVID-19 vaccine is effective against new strains.
For more information on the new coronavirus strain, click here.
Illinois reports 3,062 new COVID-19 cases, 60 additional deaths Saturday
Health officials in Illinois reported 3,062 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus on Saturday, along with an additional 60 deaths attributed to the virus.
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, Saturday’s new cases bring the state to 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 samples were handed over to state laboratories, bringing the total number of tests performed nationwide to 16,555,035.
The seven-day positivity rate rose slightly on Saturday to 3.4% from 3.3% the day before. The positivity rate in the people tested during this time decreased to 4.2%.
As of Friday night, there were 2,271 coronavirus patients in Illinois hospitals. Of these patients, 485 were in intensive care units, while 246 were on ventilators.
The total number of vaccine doses administered so far is 1,294,498 doses, including 188,351 at long-term care units, through the federal partnership with pharmacies.
A total of 2,132,025 doses were sent to Illinois, with a daily average of 7 days of standing vaccines at 49,909 doses.
Chicago officials are calling for safety amid Super Bowl celebrations this weekend
As the coronavirus pandemic continues in Chicago, city officials have reminded residents to celebrate Super Bowl safely on Sunday.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Allison Arwady advised people on safety precautions Friday, especially as the city sees the lowest COVID-19 positivity rates since October.
“We’ve made so much progress in the last few weeks – now is not the time to let our guard down,” Lightfoot said. “I will watch the match with my wife and daughter at home and call on all Chicagoans to do the same and avoid rallies. Let’s not make the Super Bowl a super-widespread event! ”
City officials recalled that traditional Super Bowl gatherings have the potential to be super-widespread events for the coronavirus, which is why they are asking residents to order them removed from a local bar or restaurant, as well as to avoid mixed parties.
According to Lightfoot and Arwady, the best way to avoid indoor encounters with people outside the household. However, if guests are inside, health officials said people should keep a distance of six feet and wear face coverings.
“While Super Bowl parties of any kind are strongly discouraged, Chicagoans are reminded that, in terms of health, indoor residential gatherings must be limited to a maximum of ten people,” a statement said.
Because the city from which coronaavirus phase 4 is attenuated applies the following regulations if you go to bars or restaurants:
- Six people on the table
- Six feet away from the tables
- Internal capacity is limited to 25% or 25 people
Business and consumer protection workers will visit entertainment venues in Chicago ahead of Sunday’s big event, according to a statement.
CPS Pre-K and Cluster students will return on Tuesday as the dispute with CTU continues
Chicago’s public schools on Friday launched a detailed plan for a return to personal instruction, requiring students in pre-K and cluster programs to return to classrooms beginning Tuesday, even as the personal learning debate with the Teachers’ Union begins. Chicago continues.
During the gradual reopening, teachers and pre-K and group staff will return to the school buildings on Monday, and students will join them the next day.
On Friday morning, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the city and CPS presented the union with “the last, best and last offer.”
CTU President Jesse Sharkey said the offer “could not stand” and posed a “threat” to expelling students from school.
Sharkey said the CPS offer will disrupt personal learning if there are COVID-19 outbreaks in 50 percent of the buildings at the same time, which he said amount to more than 200 schools. He also noted that the proposal “denies distance work accommodation for 75% of educators with high-risk household members for COVID-19” and “will not make any improvement in distance learning, despite the fact that four out of five students remain at a distance ”.
Although agreements have been reached on a number of issues, according to the school district, the following remain ongoing: vaccinations, adaptations for staff with vulnerable members of the household, values on the interruption of in-person learning and a gradual reopening.
According to the gradual reopening proposal announced by CPS on Friday, teachers and staff from kindergarten to 5th grade will return to the school buildings on Tuesday, February 16, and their students will return on Monday, February 22.
Teachers and staff in grades six through eight will return to the classrooms on Monday, February 22, and their students will join them on March 1.
A limited number of pre-K students and programs returned to the classrooms last month, according to the district plan, although those students were moved back to distance learning after the union vote.
Thousands of elementary and middle school employees and teachers were expected to return to school last week, with an estimated 71,000 students to join them on Monday – although both were postponed due to the shutdown.
Read more here.
Kroger will pay workers $ 100 to receive the COVID-19 vaccine
Kroger is offering a $ 100 incentive for employees receiving both doses of COVID-19 as a way to encourage partners to get vaccinated, the Cincinnati food retailer said Friday.
The payment for the vaccine will be offered to all associates who present proof of vaccination to their human resources representative, according to a company press release.
Employees who cannot receive the vaccine for medical or religious reasons will have the option to complete a health and safety education course to receive payment.
The company also announced an additional $ 50 million investment to thank and reward employees, including a $ 100 loan for the store and 1,000 fuel points for first-time grocers, supply chain, production, pharmacy and call center associates.
Mariano’s is a subsidiary of Kroger.
Chicago closes city-run COVID test sites for a few days due to the weather
With cold weather reaching the Chicago area, Chicago-led coronavirus testing sites will be closed for a few days, officials said Thursday.
Starting Friday, city-run test sites will be closed for five days until Feb. 10, an emergency management and communications office in Chicago wrote on Twitter.
The move is due to “bad weather”.
Read more here.
80 new COVID vaccination sites open in Illinois, the state announces
Illinois State has added 80 new COVID-19 vaccination sites, according to a press release from state health officials on Thursday.
More than 3.2 million state residents are eligible for vaccinations under Phase 1B, which includes people aged 65 and over, as well as “essential front-line workers”.
A total of 390 vaccination sites have been opened across the state.
The newly established sites include 78 additional Walgreens locations, as well as two Illinois National Guard locations in Cook and St. Louis counties. Clair.
Current vaccination sites in the state are available by appointment only, but the state plans to launch access sites in the coming weeks, officials said earlier.
For a full look at how you can make an appointment or receive vaccine information for your area, click here.
Also Illinois now in phase 4 after the last region loosens coronavirus restrictions
Illinois is now in line with the Phase 4 coronavirus guidelines after the last of the state’s 11 tightest mitigation regions eased some of those restrictions to the same level as the rest of the state on Thursday, officials said. in the field of health.
Region 4, also known as the Metro East region of southern Illinois, has moved from mitigating level 2 directly to phase 4, completely abandoning level 1. This move means that all 11 regions of the state are now in phase 4, after the state allowed the regions to advance in mid-January after the holiday season.
Regions 8 and 9 – which include DuPage, Kane, Lake and McHenry counties in the Chicago area – managed to ease restrictions on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Region 10, which owns Cook County suburbs, moved to Phase 4, while Region 7, which includes Will and Kankakee counties, returned on Monday. The city of Chicago entered a modified version of the phase over the weekend.