CHICAGO—The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) reported weekly COVID-19 statistics today. While case rates remain high, severe outcomes from COVID-19, including hospitalizations and deaths, continue to remain very low compared to other points in the pandemic.

However, Chicago’s level on the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC’s) COVID-19 Community Levels index remains at high and CDPH continues to strongly urge everyone to wear masks in indoor public settings, stay up to date on COVID-19 vaccines including all recommended boosters, and avoid non-essential indoor gatherings for people who are at high risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19. In addition, if you are experiencing any COVID-like symptoms, get tested and stay home. Continue to follow quarantine and isolation guidelines. Chicagoans with underlying conditions or who are older should also seek early treatment if they are diagnosed with COVID-19 to decrease the risk of serious illness or hospitalization.

“Case counts remain high in Chicago, but the good news is that severe outcomes like hospitalizations and deaths continue to remain low and our hospital system has plenty of capacity,” said Jennifer Seo, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at CDPH. “As we remain in this high level, I urge people to continue to exercise caution as there is still a significant amount of COVID-19 circulating locally. Stay up to date on your vaccines, wear masks indoors, and gather outdoors when possible.”

With the final day of classes today, Chicago Public Schools’ (CPS) last day of COVID-19 testing for students and staff was Friday, June 10. This will result in a reduction of tests reported beginning this week, and the positivity rate will likely increase. As a reminder, test positivity now has a reduced utility due to the widespread use of point-of-care and at-home tests. That is why the CDC’s COVID-19 Community Levels do not rely on percent positivity to measure the impact of COVID-19 illness on communities.

COVID-19 BY THE NUMBERS

Over the last week, an average of 893 Chicagoans each day had a positive laboratory test for COVID-19, down from an average of 955 new cases per day the week prior. An average of 19 Chicagoans are being hospitalized with COVID-19 each day and an average of two Chicagoans are dying from COVID-19 per week, still nearly the lowest rate of the pandemic. Current test positivity is 5.7%, down slightly from the rate of 6.0% last week.

All Chicago hospitals combined report 197 hospitalized patients right now with confirmed COVID-19: 172 non-ICU patients and 25 ICU patients across the whole system of more than 30 hospitals. For comparison, at the peak of the initial Omicron surge in early January 2022, Chicago had nearly 10 times as many patients hospitalized with COVID-19: more than 1600 non-ICU beds plus more than 300 ICU beds across Chicago hospitals were occupied by patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19.

Additional data is available on the City’s COVID-19 dashboard at chi.gov/coviddash.

BOOSTER DOSES

CDPH strongly encourages all Chicagoans age 5 and older to get a COVID-19 booster dose five months after their initial vaccine series. In addition, adults 50 and older, as well as individuals 12 years and older who are moderately or severely immunocompromised, should receive a second booster dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, four months after the first booster. You are only considered up to date on COVID-19 vaccination if you have received all booster doses when eligible.

The City continues to offer free Pfizer vaccines, including first and second boosters, to all Chicagoans through Protect Chicago At Home. Through July 31, all patients who live in eligible zip codes who are vaccinated in the At Home program will receive a $50 gift card for each dose of Pfizer vaccine administered (1st and 2nd dose). Eligible zip codes are 60608, 60612, 60617, 60619, 60620, 60621, 60624, 60628, 60633, 60636, 60637, 60644, 60649, 60651, 60653, and Chicago residents living in 60827, 60707. Gift cards are not offered for booster dose appointments. Schedule an appointment at your home, on your schedule (including evenings and weekends) through Chicago.gov/AtHome or by calling 312-746-4835. All incentives for At Home appointments will be delivered by mail, not at the time of the appointment.

All COVID-19 vaccines including boosters are offered at no cost, with no insurance and no government ID required. For more information about COVID-19 vaccines in Chicago, visit Chicago.gov/COVIDvax.

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