Dr. Allison Arwady, head of Chicago's health department, is giving a COVID update at 1 p.m. I'll live tweet.
Follow for updates and let me know if you have questions.
Yesterday's numbers: blockclubchicago.org/2022/01/10/som…
Follow for updates and let me know if you have questions.
Yesterday's numbers: blockclubchicago.org/2022/01/10/som…
You can watch here:
https://twitter.com/chicagosmayor/status/1480979568974606339
Arwady: Whole country is still surging with COVID-19. All of the US remains on Chicago's travel advisory.
Arwady: Nationally, we're averaging 222 newly diagnosed COVID-19 cases per 100,000 per day.
Illinois: 249
Chicago: 177
Illinois: 249
Chicago: 177
Arwady: "... We may be seeing the beginnings of some flattening here."
Arwady: Our new cases per day and positivity rate may be beginning to gently decrease. Too soon to tell. 
Arwady: We need to see some more days of improvement before we can say for sure things have peaked. (She is concerned the slight drops could be due to data lags.)
Arwady: You can see new cases/day is "extremely high" compared to what we'd seen before.
But vaccine is playing a "critical role" in helping not overwhelm our hospitals.
But vaccine is playing a "critical role" in helping not overwhelm our hospitals.
Arwady: Red line is unvaccinated people being hospitalized with COVID-19.
"It's very dangerous right now, honestly, to not have a vaccine."
"It's very dangerous right now, honestly, to not have a vaccine."
Arwady: At least three 18-to-29-year-olds in Chicago have died from COVID-19 since Omicron hit. None were fully vaccinated.
Arwady: COVID-19 hospitalizations of children have gone up, but most are not fully vaccinated.
Arwady: I know the data is maybe giving a little sense of relief, but, "I can't say for sure we are flattening or past a peak."
Arwady on testing: It's been a "stress" point. "We continue to really grow capacity across the city. It's really important we prioritize our highest-risk settings as the health department, so our long-term care, our shelters, our clinical centers."
Arwady: Rapid tests have been the thing that have been the hardest to find for everybody.
CDPH's back orders to November have not been filled. Feds are centralizing them, which she supports.
...
CDPH's back orders to November have not been filled. Feds are centralizing them, which she supports.
...
Federal supply of rapid tests has started, specifically to federally qualified health centers. They've started receiving them. "That is where we have the ability to also — a lot of people who have barriers to care otherwise use those sites. ...
"You don't have to have insurance, etc." and many people with underlying conditions go there.
Arwady: CDPH is funding additional community-based testing sites.
For example, they're looking to stand up a testing site in the Illinois Medical District. "You know what we're seeing? There are still a lot of people going to emergency departments when it's not an emergency ...
For example, they're looking to stand up a testing site in the Illinois Medical District. "You know what we're seeing? There are still a lot of people going to emergency departments when it's not an emergency ...
"to get a COVID test." If they can protect hospitals, have them able to tell people they can go walk a block and get a test, they want to do that.
Arwady: Federal courthouse is going to be open to the public Wednesday for testing. CDPH is funding additional expansion.
Arwady: They're going to do another full round of the CDPH weekend family vaccination clinics at City Colleges.
Arwady: A positive test is a positive. Please do not go trying to seek additional tests in that setting. It is putting additional strain on the testing system.
Arwady: Until it's a variant of concern, I'm not that concerned.
In Chicago, we're used funding from the federal gov't to significantly build our ability to watch for variants here.
In Chicago, we're used funding from the federal gov't to significantly build our ability to watch for variants here.
Arwady: Really, right now, my worry is Omicron, and Omicron already is putting huge pressure on our hospital systems, and most of that is people who are not yet vaccinated.
Arwady: I do not want people thinking now is the time to have a COVID party and get COVID.
You should continue doing the things you can do to prevent getting COVID. Vaccinated+boosted.
You should continue doing the things you can do to prevent getting COVID. Vaccinated+boosted.
Arwady: She's interested to see what we see after breakthrough cases. She's not very concerned, based on what she's seen, about them getting long COVID.
Arwady: Do not think that you should just go and get COVID. "Vaccinated or unvaccinated, we need you continuing to do the things that help keep everybody safe." Don't be unvaccinated and out in the city of Chicago if you can help it.
Arwady: This is still a very bad surge, and I don't want people to think otherwise.
"It is extremely not over."
This hopeful flattening, I've got to see it for at least a week.
"It is extremely not over."
This hopeful flattening, I've got to see it for at least a week.
Arwady: I'm less concerned than I was three or four days ago, but I'm still concerned about the hospitals.
Press conference over.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
