COVID-19 case and hospitalization rates are steadily improving in Chicago and Cook Countymoving both the city and county from the medium into the low COVID-19 level for the first time since early May, the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced.
The latest metrics released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) prompted the change in status.
"I am so pleased to see our region move into a low COVID-19 level, because hitting this threshold means that fewer Chicagoans are being hospitalized with COVID-19 every day. Thank you to every Chicagoan who has gotten us here—by testing at the first sign of symptoms, by masking in crowded public settings, and especially by staying up-to-date with COVID vaccines," said CDPH Commissioner Allison Arwady, M.D. in a statement.
This fall, all Chicagoans over the age of 6 months should both get an annual flu shot and be up to date with COVID vaccines. For those age 12 and older, this includes getting the newly updated COVID vaccine, known as a bivalent booster, that became available this month. The bivalent booster is the first update to the original COVID vaccine, designed to better protect against the dominant Omicron subvariants BA.4/BA.5 that currently make up more than 95% of COVID-19 cases in Chicago.
Details about the new bivalent booster vaccine can be found at Chicago.gov/Boost. Residents can find out where to get the updated vaccine at vaccines.gov or 312-746-4835.