Note: Any press conference by Gov. JB Pritzker, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, or other officials will be streamed on the video player above.
The Chicago mayor and top health official are due to release an update on the city’s vaccination plan on Monday.
According to the latest data from the Illinois Department of Public Health, statewide, several Illinois health care regions continue to see declines in positivity rates and hospitalizations.
Here are the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic in the state of Illinois today (December 28):
IDES prepares to implement unemployment program extensions approved in COVID federal relief law
The Illinois Department of Occupational Safety is preparing to pay new unemployment benefit funds authorized by the COVID-19 relief bill signed into law by President Donald Trump over the weekend, but also calls for more guidance from the Department of Labor. Work to ensure prompt payment of these benefits.
In a press release issued Monday, IDES officials say they urge authorities not to “create more hardships” and criticized the president for his “inaction” after delaying the signing of the relief package in early December. ‘this month.
The new relief bill, in addition to authorizing payments to U.S. residents, also included extensions for several key programs, including Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Benefits (PUAs), benefits Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EMP) and extended benefit programs.
All of these programs expired on December 26 under the provisions of the original CARES Act, which was passed in March, but were expanded by the new COVID-19 relief package. Lawmakers have warned of possible delays in payments due to Trump’s objections to the bill, which he raised only after the House and Senate voted to pass the measure.
Read more here.
First doses of Modern COVID-19 vaccine administered in Chicago
Front-line workers at Chicago’s Esperanza Health Centers received their initial doses of the Modern COVID-19 vaccine on Monday, becoming the first individuals in the city to receive the long-awaited vaccine.
Esperanza, which serves primarily southwest Chicago, was one of six federally qualified health centers that began administering the Modern vaccine Monday.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot defined Esperanza as a lifesaver for the Latinx community, explaining that equity remains the city’s COVID-19 strategy, as the virus disproportionately affects people of color. .
“I know the challenges that many members of the Latinx community face and they can sometimes be insurmountable,” the mayor said at a news conference at the health center facility in the Brighton Park neighborhood.
The launch of the modern vaccine is particularly exciting, said Dr. Allison Arwady, the commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, because unlike the Pfizer vaccine, it does not require ultra-cold storage.
Approximately 16,000 doses of the Modern vaccine are expected to be administered in the city over the weekend, Arwady said. Similarly, the city plans to administer more than 21,000 doses of Pfizker vaccine over the same period of time.
Illinois has more than 16,000 deaths since the coronavirus pandemic began
Illinois health officials reported 4,453 confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus on Monday, along with an additional 105 deaths attributed to the virus.
According to the latest data from the Illinois Department of Public Health, the state has reported 942,362 cases of the virus since the pandemic began, along with a total of 16,074 deaths.
Over the past 24 hours, 51,046 new tests returned to laboratories across the state. In total, 13,036,658 tests were performed during the pandemic, according to IDPH data.
The state’s seven-day positivity rate for testing stood at 8.7% on Monday, while the case positivity rate was 7.2%. Both figures mark increases from a day earlier.
Hospitalizations in the state rose Monday to 4,243 patients receiving coronavirus care. The number of patients in intensive care units dropped to 884, while there are currently 515 patients with ventilators in the state due to COVID-19.
Chicago officials will update the vaccination plan
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the city’s top doctor will deliver an update Monday on the city’s coronavirus vaccination plan, according to Lightfoot’s public calendar.
Lightfoot and Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady will give the update during a press conference at 2 p.m. Monday at the Esperanza Health Center, located at 4700 S. California, for the mayoralty.
The update can be viewed live on the previous video player.
By the numbers: metrics of the coronavirus in each of the health regions of Illinois
Several health care regions in Illinois continue to see declines in positivity and hospitalization rates, and several are currently online to see how level 3 mitigations in the fight against coronavirus are reduced.
This is where each of Illinois ’health regions is located in terms of metrics as of December 27th.
Region 1 (northwest Illinois):
This region has seen hospitalizations decline in eight of the last ten days. The region has had 20% or more hospital and ICU beds available for 11 consecutive days, and the region’s positivity rate stands at 8.7%. All of these metrics are within the parameters for reversing Level 3 mitigations, but it is unclear when the state will approve the region to do so.
Region 2 (West-Central Illinois):
The positivity rate in this region continued a slow decline this week, to 8.8%, while more than 29% of hospital beds are available. The availability of beds in the ICU now stands at 22.7% and will exceed 20% for a third consecutive day on Monday. The region has also seen declining hospitalizations each of the last ten days.
Region 3 (West Illinois):
This region has one of the lowest positivity rates in the state, standing at 6.9%. The availability of hospital beds stands at 29.5%, while the availability of beds in the ICU remains below the 20% threshold, standing at 17.1%. Hospitalizations have decreased six of the last ten days, but have increased in recent days.
Region 4 (southwest Illinois):
This region sees its positivity rate start to rise, as it is now at 12% of the button. Both the hospital bed (21.4%) and the availability of ICU beds (21.5%) definitely ended the 20% threshold this week and the region has seen the nine days of hospitalization decrease in the last 10 days.
Region 5 (Southern Illinois):
The positivity rate in the region now stands at 12.2% and has remained mainly stable over the last 10 days. The availability of beds in the ICU is still low, currently 16.5%, and the availability of hospital beds is now 40.5%, more than double the threshold required to move forward from level 3 mitigations .
Region 6 (East Central Illinois):
The positivity rate in this region stands at 8.6%, while the availability of hospital beds (30.6%) and the availability of ICU beds (35.6%) are well above the thresholds needed to move forward. since level 3 mitigations. The region has also continued to see steady declines in hospitalizations overall.
Region 7 (Will, Kankakee counties):
The positivity rate in this region continued to decline this week, dropping to 10.3%, while the availability of hospital beds (29.6%) and the availability of ICU beds (26.5%) continued to increase. In general, hospitalizations have decreased in each of the last ten days.
Region 8 (counties of DuPage, Kane):
This region has seen an increase in the availability of hospital beds (24.7%) and the availability of ICU beds (27.9%) in recent days, while hospitalizations have decreased eight in the last 10 days. The positivity rate in the region drops to 9%.
Region 9 (McHenry, Lake counties):
The availability of hospital beds in the region has finally exceeded the 20% threshold, now standing at 21.1%. The availability of beds in the ICU is 32.1% and hospitalizations have decreased in each of the last five days. The positivity rate in the region is 8.8%.
Region 10 (suburban Cook County):
The positivity rate in the region stands at 9.3%, while hospitalizations have decreased each of the last ten days. The availability of beds in the ICU is starting to increase, it is now 19.7%, while the availability of hospital beds reaches 26.6%.
Region 11 (Chicago):
With 10 days of hospitalization declining, a positivity rate of 8.6%, the availability of hospital beds of 23.9% and the availability of beds in the ICU of 26.6%, Chicago would be eligible to move forward Monday to level 3 mitigation if the city used state metrics.
United Airlines is starting to require UK travelers to take negative tests when they fly to Chicago
Amid concerns over a recently detected variant of the coronavirus that is spreading across the UK, United Airlines announced on Thursday that it will require all UK travelers flying to Chicago O’Hare International Airport to prove negative. of the coronavirus.
According to the airline, anyone traveling from London Heathrow to Chicago, Newark, Washington Dulles and San Francisco will have to prove a negative COVID-19 test conducted within 72 hours of their departure starting Monday.
“The health and safety of our employees and customers is our top priority,” the airline said in a statement. “United has been a leader in enacting new policies and innovations designed to keep employees and passengers safer when traveling, including mask warrants and requiring customers to complete a checklist” Ready to fly “before the flight recognizes that COVID -19 has not been diagnosed in the last 14 days and shows no COVID-related symptoms.”
The latter requirement will apply to any traveler over 5 years of age and may include molecular or antigen testing. Those with LHR connecting flights whose travel came from another country will be exempt, the airline said.
This month, United has operated four daily flights from London Heathrow to its four US centers.