Arwady: Vaccines are going to be how we get out of this in Chicago.
We have passed 2 million COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in Chicago. It's an "exciting" benchmark.
Arwady: "We're making amazing progress here in Chicago."
Arwady: "Our coverage for those over 65 is still lagging." 81% of Americans 65+ have gotten at least a first dose. That's at ~65% in Chicago. "We still have a lot of work to do there."
Arwady: This week we're in may be the first week where demand is dropping. This could be the first week where all of our vaccine does not get allocated; but to this point, 98% has been.
Arwady: We have J&J available at Kennedy-King College 9-3 Saturdays.
Arwady: We're entering eighth week . "This will be our last week for walk-in appointments for the Pfizer vaccine. Starting next week, we are going to do one week of walk-in J&J appointments." That starts Tuesday.
May 4-10.
...
Then, no additional first doses at United Center. Team will stay to complete all second doses of Pfizer on time. "But we are also going to start the drive-thru again at the United Center with J&J. We'll be starting the drive-thru on May 8 ... and then even when the walk-in is ...
"done and federal partners go home, at the moment, if we see good uptake, we are planning to continue the United Center only as a drive-in site" likely going through June.
Arwady: We want to get every homebound senior vaccinated by mid-May.
Arwady: You're going to see a lot more vans and tents and trying to bring vaccine to events that make Chicago, Chicago, whether it's block parties, festivals, etc.
Arwady: You'll hear more about Vax & Relax, where you might be able to get your nails done, etc. for free and get a vaccination.
Arwady: For people who are fully vaccinated (two weeks after final dose), you no longer need to wear a mask outside unless you're in crowded settings, per CDC.
Arwady: This is going to be an ongoing transition from COVID. We've been much more comfortable outdoors, knowing the risk is greater indoors.
Arwady: "The risk, at this point, when people are gathering — yes, we still have almost 550 cases per day, that's a high risk for Chicago, but very different before a vaccine. ... If you yourself are vaccinated, and you're in a setting where most people are vaccinated, even if...
"there's 550 cases per day in Chicago, your individual risk is low." But when you're not vaccinated, and especially if you're gathering with a lot of people who aren't vaccinated, the risk goes up.
Arwady: They expect to be "turning the dial" and reopening more in coming days as people are getting vaccinated.
Arwady: The risk is increasingly going to be on people who have not gotten vaccinated, and they think reopening is appropriate.
Arwady: All along, our plan has been that as COVID comes under control here in Chicago and in Illinois, "We will be turning that dial. So, yes, I am assuming ... as long as we can turn that dial and continue to see cases, hospitalizations stable or declining, ...
"I do anticipate ... we would be moving again in a dial way to more reopening, including in sports stadiums."
Arwady: For people who are fully vaccinated, masks remain required indoors.
Arwady: If I was an organizer for the Fourth of July, I'd say let's do everything we possibly can to vaccinate the people who might want to come.
"I suspect we will have some version of these activities we love."
Arwady: "We all want to put this behind us, and getting people vaccinated is the way to do it."
Arwady, asked about Lollapalooza, says she won't comment on what events could happen later in the summer.
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Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Dr. Allison Arwady, head of the city's health department, have a news conference at 10:30 a.m. where they'll talk about reopening the city.
I'll live tweet. Follow for updates and let me know if you have questions.
BREAKING: Festivals are back, the United Center can reopen and conventions can be held as Chicago loosens its coronavirus restrictions: buff.ly/3eyP8Fu.
Arwady: We still have almost 550 new cases of COVID every day. That's high risk in general. "But the thing that is different now is that, that risk is completely bifurcated on whether it's a highly vaccinated setting."
Arwady: We're doing a lot of planning on what it will look like to vaccinate adolescents. Could be update on that soon.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot and some community leaders holding news conference at noon where they'll ask for peace as city preps to release Adam Toledo video.
It's not just due to testing; growth outpaces testing increases. But positivity rate of 5.8 tells us we're doing a good job of testing a lot of Chicagoans.
Arwady: We're definitely back on the increase, though not as bad as in the fall.
"Younger adults is very much who we continue to see the majority of these cases being diagnosed in."
Mayor Lori Lightfoot says there are multiple videos from the shooting of Adam Toledo and she has seen all of them.
The family is "still, critically, in the throes of grief. ... I want to be respectful of the family, but I also do think something like a ...
"police-involved shooting, particularly under these circumstances, it's important for us to be transparent. ... We're gonna work with the family to move this process along, but I think we have to be respectful of them and move at their speed."
Lightfoot: Derek Chauvin trial doesn't play a role in this. It's about being respectful to the family.
"I'm not gonna offer up my own thoughts about this." There are two investigations, one by COPA. "I really think it's important for them to have the space they need to be ...