Chicago’s Prime Doc Involved About Low Flu Vaccine Uptake in Children – NBC Chicago

As temperatures drop and restrictions like vaccination and masks mandates proceed to ease, Chicago-area docs are bracing for what they’re predicting shall be a “probably scary chilly and flu season.”

This is what it is advisable to know in regards to the coronavirus pandemic throughout Illinois in the present day.

Drop In Quantity Children’ Flu Vaccinations Is Worrying Chicago’s Prime Physician

As COVID instances begin to tick again up, Chicago Division of Public Well being Commissioner Dr. Alison Arwady earlier this week stated the gradual uptake of flu vaccines amongst youngsters is worrying her, because the numbers in comparison with final 12 months are a lot decrease.

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What to Do If You Check Optimistic for COVID Proper Earlier than a Thanksgiving Or Vacation Gathering

The vacation season is across the nook, and also you’re most likely trying ahead to in-person celebrations with family members.

And although you won’t need to give it some thought, testing constructive for Covid simply earlier than a kind of gatherings might put an actual damper in your holidays.

So, if that occurs, what must you do? There is a quick reply and an extended reply, specialists say.

Learn extra here.

Is Lack of Scent Nonetheless a COVID Symptom? Chicago’s Prime Physician Weighs In

With every new subvariant of COVID, scientists have stated {that a} lack of a way of scent has turn into much less and fewer widespread, however Chicago’s prime physician says that sufferers can nonetheless expertise points in the event that they contract the virus.

Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Division of Public Well being, stated throughout an availability Tuesday that lack of scent happens in lower than one-in-five instances involving omicron subvariants of COVID, however warned that it’s nonetheless a attainable challenge that sufferers might must take care of.  

“It’s not essentially the most typical symptom, however particularly if someone’s by no means had COVID, you completely can lose your sense of scent with omicron, identical to you may with the entire different variants which have come earlier than,” she stated.

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What Are the Aspect Results of a COVID and Flu Shot on the Similar Time?

Whereas unwanted side effects extensively fluctuate for every individual, some persons are questioning if getting each vaccines on the similar time makes them extra more likely to expertise sure unwanted side effects.

In response to Chicago’s prime physician Allison Arwady, the unwanted side effects skilled possible must do along with your immune system.

For these experiencing extra intense, sturdy unwanted side effects that are not long-lasting, which may be the signal of a sturdy immune system, in line with Arwady.

Moreover, Arwady stated that those that have skilled sturdy unwanted side effects for earlier vaccines ought to keep away from getting the flu and COVID pictures on the similar time.

Nevertheless, those that have not observed extreme unwanted side effects prior to now should have no issue getting each of the pictures without delay.

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How one can Handle COVID Consolation Ranges As Holidays Strategy

Now greater than ever, folks’s attitudes towards COVID consolation and danger are altering, specialists say. Which means it is tougher than ever to seek out two folks with the identical method towards the virus, and it is making {our relationships} tougher to handle.

The rationale: Many individuals at the moment are extra centered on their very own danger than the danger they pose to others, says Virginia Tech epidemiologist Lisa Lee. Somebody up-to-date on their COVID vaccines may attend a big get together lately, with out contemplating the danger of probably spreading the virus to high-risk family members.

That is a near-complete reversal from the pandemic’s starting, when “we had been all afraid and far more keen to do issues to guard one another towards the brand new illness,” Lee tells CNBC Make It.

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As Instances Creep Upward, Right here Are 5 Frequent Questions About COVID, Vaccines and Extra

Coronavirus instances are slowly on the rise in Illinois and throughout the USA, and with that residents are asking loads of questions in regards to the sickness.

Scientists and officers have anticipated will increase in instances due to new variants, which have proven some resistance to sure remedies, and due to colder climate pushing extra folks to spend time indoors.

Regardless of the case, there are some commonly-asked questions on COVID, and we’re right here to offer some solutions from specialists and scientists.

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As New COVID Variants Emerge at a Quicker Tempo, This is What You Must Know

Throughout a coronavirus replace Friday, Chicago’s prime physician stated that new COVID variants are rising “extra shortly proper now,” probably marking a turning level within the pandemic because it enters its third winter.

Whereas not one of the latest rapidly-rising subvariants have reached the edge of “variant of concern,” they’re being intently monitored as colder climate shifts extra actions indoors.

In response to CDPH Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady, the entire rising variants stay below the omicron umbrella.

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Illinois Seeing ‘Uptick’ in COVID Instances, Well being Division Says

Illinois noticed an “uptick” in COVID instances inside the final week, the state’s well being division stated Friday.

With the number of counties under a “high” community level for the virus rising from three to 5 this week, and one other 33 at a “medium” stage, per pointers set by the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, the Illinois Division of Public Well being urged residents to get new bivalent booster pictures alongside flu vaccines earlier than the vacation season. Residents in counties below a excessive alert stage are urged to put on masks in public areas.

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Masks Really helpful in 5 Illinois Counties With ‘Excessive’ COVID Group Stage

Masks are advised in 5 Illinois counties which have returned to “excessive” COVID group stage standing following a rise in weekly metrics, in line with the most recent replace from the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention.

Residents within the 5 counties are suggested to take precautions towards the virus, together with sporting masks in indoor areas and staying away from giant gatherings if they’re immunocompromised or produce other widespread danger elements for extreme sickness in the event that they contract COVID.

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New COVID Variants Rising ‘Extra Rapidly’ Now. This is What That Indicators

New COVID variants are rising “extra shortly proper now,” Chicago’s prime physician stated throughout a coronavirus replace Friday, and that would sign a shift heading into colder months.

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Chicago’s Prime Physician Provides COVID Replace Forward of Halloween, Vacation Season

Chicago’s prime physician delivered a COVID-19 replace Friday forward of Halloween and the upcoming vacation season.

Chicago Division of Public Well being Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady and different metropolis well being officers held a press convention to debate bivalent booster uptake, protections for the winter and vacation seasons and extra. 

‘Nightmare’ and ‘Scrabble’: How Fearful Ought to You Be About New COVID Variants?

As new COVID variants emerge, similar to XBB and BQ.1 and BQ.1.1, they’re additionally producing new names just like the “nightmare variant” or “scrabble variants.” However what does that imply and the way fearful must you really be?

Whereas the BA.5 subvariant stays the dominant pressure in the USA this week, a number of different new types of the virus are gaining floor, and physicians warn that some remedies towards the sickness will not be efficient towards them.

Learn extra here.

DuPage County to Completely Shut COVID-19 Testing Web site

The DuPage County Well being Division introduced that it’ll shut its COVID-19 testing facility on the Dupage County Fairgrounds later this week.

In response to a press launch, the division will shut the positioning down on Friday.

The division cites the widespread availability of different testing websites and at-home COVID exams, and says residents can discover data on additional sites at this link.

Greater than 60,000 exams had been carried out on the fairgrounds.

BQ.1, BQ.1.1 Variants, Immune to Some COVID Remedies, Proceed to Achieve Floor in U.S.

The BA.5 subvariant of COVID-19 stays the dominant pressure in the USA this week, however a number of different new types of the virus are gaining floor, and physicians warn that some remedies towards the sickness will not be efficient towards them.

In response to the most recent knowledge from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, BA.5 is making up roughly 62.2% of COVID instances within the U.S. That subvariant has been the dominant pressure of COVID since early July, nevertheless it’s quickly declining as different strains take maintain.

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Chicago-Space Docs Predict ‘Explosion’ of Flu, RSV and COVID This Fall and Winter

As temperatures drop and restrictions like vaccination and masks mandates proceed to ease, Chicago-area docs are bracing for what they’re predicting shall be a “probably scary chilly and flu season.”

One of many essential causes, well being specialists say, is a lag in eligible folks opting to obtain the flu shot and COVID bivalent booster.

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I Have COVID, Now What Ought to I Do? This is the Newest Steerage

For many who contract COVID for the primary time or who take a look at constructive following up to date pointers from the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention this summer season, there could also be some uncertainty about what to do subsequent.

In the event you had COVID beforehand and adopted the right steering, you may have to take word as the present suggestions aren’t the identical as earlier than. The CDC final modified its quarantine and isolation steering in August.

Learn extra here.

Most Frequent COVID Signs Have Modified, Examine Says. This is Why and What They Are

Whereas those that contract COVID-19 could come down with one in every of greater than 20 signs, that is not the case for everybody. Some individuals who take a look at constructive can develop a number of signs whereas others could not even expertise any.

And when you do come down with COVID after having it one other time earlier than, the signs you’ve got – and severity of them – could also be drastically completely different than the opposite time you had been contaminated. As revealed by a latest research, there could also be a cause for that.

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How Lengthy Can You Proceed to Check Optimistic for COVID-19?

As issues over COVID-19 rise heading into the winter months, many are questioning how lengthy they will anticipate to check constructive within the occasion of contracting COVID.

With the more moderen durations, the incubation interval, the time between while you’re contaminated to when signs seem, has dropped to a few days, Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Division of Public Well being, has stated. Most parts with each the aforementioned strains have moved quicker in comparison with others, the physician famous.

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