CHICAGO – Chicago and Cook County remain in the Medium COVID-19 Community Level according to the latest Community Level metrics released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  CDPH continues to urge Chicagoans to mask in crowded indoor spaces and get their booster shots to protect them from COVID-19 and variants that may be on the horizon.

“We’ve been able to remain in Medium COVID-19 Level through the holidays, which I am very pleased about,  but we are by no means in the clear,” said CDPH Commissioner Allison Arwady, M.D. “That’s why we’ve got to keep doing all we can to protect each other from COVID-19 and the flu, and that includes masking up in higher risk spaces, staying home if you feel sick, and getting your flu and COVID-19 booster shots.” 

“It’s entirely possible we’ll get into the High Level soon,” added Dr. Arwady. “In the northeastern United States, a new subvariant of Omicron, XBB.1.5, which is slightly more contagious than previous strains, has become the dominant form of COVID-19. We continue to see that the bivalent booster does a great job of protecting against Omicron subvariants, including XBB.1.5, so if you haven’t gotten your booster yet, please make a New Year’s resolution to do so now.”

Upcoming Vaccine Events

CDPH is extending its Family Vaccination Clinics at six City Colleges of Chicago sites throughout the city. Starting this weekend, the vaccination clinics will run every Saturday through February 11, offering flu shots, COVID-19 vaccines, and the updated bivalent booster to all eligible Chicagoans. Registration is recommended, but walk-ins will be accommodated as space allows. Sites operate 9am-2pm:

• Saturday, January 7 at Malcolm X College, 1900 W. Jackson Blvd.
• Saturday, January 14 at Richard J. Daley College, 7500 S. Pulaski Rd.
• Saturday, January 21 at Olive Harvey College, 10001 S. Woodlawn Ave.
• Saturday, January 28, Wilbur Wright College, 4300 N. Narragansett Ave.
• Saturday, February 4, Kennedy King College, 6301 S. Halsted St.
• Saturday, February 11, Truman College, 1145 W. Wilson Ave.

To register or find additional vaccination events in your neighborhood, visit Chicago.gov/vaxcalendar or call the City’s COVID-19 Hotline at (312) 746-4835.

CDPH continues to urge all Chicagoans age 6 months and older to remain up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations, including the fall 2022 booster, and to get their annual flu shot. The flu can bring serious illness for younger and older people, especially those who have not gotten a flu shot. The updated COVID-19 booster vaccine is free, regardless of health insurance status.

The City continues to operate Protect Chicago At Home, its completely free program that will bring COVID-19 and flu vaccines to the home of any Chicagoan and vaccinate up to 10 people in a single appointment. CDPH has administered more than 22,000 COVID-19 vaccinations through the At Home program.

COVID-19 vaccines, including primary doses and the new booster vaccines, are available for anyone age 6 months and older through the At Home program. Chicagoans age 6 months and older can also receive a flu vaccine at home if at least one member of the household is receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Appointments are available mornings, afternoons, evenings, weekdays, and weekends. Make an at-home appointment for your family at Chicago.gov/AtHome or by calling (312) 746-4835. 

COVID-19 Bivalent Booster Updates

As of January 4, 19.1 percent of all Chicagoans age 5 and up have received the updated COVID booster vaccine, compared to 15.4 percent of all Americans. As of January 4, more than 516,000 doses of the updated booster have been administered to Chicagoans.

This new, updated vaccine, known as the bivalent booster, is designed to better protect against the Omicron subvariants BA.4/5 as well as original strains of the virus. The bivalent booster generates a stronger immune response against current and future Omicron subvariants.

COVID-19 By the Numbers 
 
The CDC determines COVID-19 Community Levels as Low, Medium, or High, based on the number of new local COVID-19 cases, regional COVID-19 hospital admissions, and COVID-19 hospital capacity in the prior week. The Levels were developed to help communities decide what prevention steps to take based on the latest local COVID-19 data.  

CDPH also continues to track and report COVID-19 hospital burden specifically for Chicago hospitals every day on its dashboard and uses this local hospital data to make further mitigation decisions. Visit chi.gov/coviddash for the Chicago COVID-19 daily data dashboard.  

COVID-19 Community Levels in the U.S. by County

In total, 26 of Illinois’ 102 counties are at the High Community Level (compared to 5 last week; 33 two weeks ago), 27 are Medium (49 last week; 55 two weeks ago), and 29 are Low (48 last week; 14 two weeks ago). Nationwide, in the past week there has been an increase – from just over 49 percent to nearly 62 percent – in the number of U.S. counties at Medium or High Community Levels. The greatest concentration of U.S. counties at a High COVID-19 Level are in East Coast, Mid-Atlantic and some Southern states, including Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Alabama.

Travelers should be aware of whether areas they are visiting are Low, Medium, or High risk for COVID-19 by checking the CDC’s map, and take proper precautions, which should include reviewing CDPH’s travel guidance.

For additional COVID-19 information, visit Chicago.gov/COVID.

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