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IDPH reports 73 counties at an elevated COVID-19 level; Cook and Will remain at medium

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced Friday, Jan. 6, that the CDC is reporting 73 counties in the state are at an elevated level for COVID-19, compared with 65 in the previous week. 

Of those, 28 Illinois counties are at a high community Level and 45 counties are at medium, including Cook and Will. 

IDPH is reporting 16,281 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 in Illinois in the week ending Jan. 1, and 20 deaths.

“After the holidays, we are once again experiencing a rise in counties at elevated COVID-19 community levels,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. “As we monitor emerging variants, including a new more transmissible strain spreading in the northeastern U.S., I continue to recommend our residents take steps to prevent the spread of infection, protect those most vulnerable to serious illness, and preserve our hospital capacity. It is not too late to get your COVID-19 bivalent booster or yearly flu shot. And if you are sick, please stay home if you are able and reach out to your provider about treatments for COVID-19 and the flu.”

IDPH is reporting weekly data on each Wednesday for the previous week. IDPH is continuing daily reporting of ICU bed availability and hospital admission data.

Access to tests and treatments can be found at the following test to treat site or by contacting your provider for treatment options, within 5 days of feeling ill.

Free or low cost COVID-19 testing locations are also available throughout the state, including in Chicago, and can be found on the IDPH website’s testing locator page.

On Dec. 9, the CDC expanded its authorization for bivalent boosters to include children aged 6 months to 5 years. Children ages 6 months through 5 years who previously completed a Moderna primary series can now receive a Moderna bivalent booster 2 months after their final primary series dose. Children ages 6 months through 4 years who are completing a Pfizer primary series will receive a Pfizer bivalent vaccine as their third primary dose.

The updated boosters are available at pharmacies, hospitals, and other healthcare providers. The best way to locate a vaccine provider near you is to visit www.vaccines.gov and search for bivalent booster availability.

Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 3,981,275 cases, including 35,814 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois since the beginning of the pandemic.

As of last night, 1,766 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 233 patients were in the ICU and 77 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators. The preliminary seven-day statewide case rate is 128 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 Illinoisans.

In counties at the medium community level, persons who are elderly or immunocompromised (at risk of severe outcomes) are advised to wear a mask in indoor public places. They should also get up to date on COVID-19 vaccines or get their bivalent booster, if eligible.

IDPH has been supporting pharmacies and healthcare providers in efforts to increase their inventories of the various FDA-authorized treatments. There are over 1,200 treatment locations in Illinois – including all the major retail pharmacies. More than 96.7% of the state’s population is within a 10-mile radius of one of these locations.

A total of 25,781,758 vaccines have been administered in Illinois as of today. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 7,838 doses, including the bivalent booster and first doses. More than 2 million people in Illinois have received the new bivalent booster dose since it was authorized. Of Illinois’ total population, more than 78% have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, 71% have completed their primary series of COVID-19 vaccines, and of the eligible population, more than 18% have received the bivalent booster dose, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Data indicate that the risk of hospitalization and severe outcomes from COVID-19 is much higher for unvaccinated people than for those who are up to date on their vaccinations. All data are provisional and are subject to change. Additional information and COVID-19 data can be found at https://dph.illinois.gov/covid19.html.

Vaccination is the key to ending this pandemic. To find a COVID-19 vaccination location near you, go to www.vaccines.gov. The federal government has established a new website that provides an all-purpose toolkit with information on how to obtain masks, treatment, vaccines and testing resources for all areas of the country at: https://www.covid.gov/.

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