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Thirty-seven counties in Illinois and Chicago are now on “warning level” for the availability of beds in intensive care units, according to COVID-19 data from the state’s health department.
The Illinois Department of Public Health reports that the following areas are experiencing limited availability of critical care beds: Alexander, Bond, Boone, Carroll, Chicago, Clinton, Cook, DeKalb, Edwards, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin , Jackson, Jefferson, Jo Daviess, Johnson, Lee, Madison, Marion, Massac, Monroe, Ogle, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, St. Clair, Stephenson, Union, Wabash, Washington, Wayne, White, Whiteside, Williamson, Winnebago.
In order for a county to reach the “warning level,” it must have an intensive care bed capacity of less than 20%, the IDPH noted.
Chicago saw 17.1% uptime on Tuesday, Cook County was 18.9% and DeKalb County reported 17.4%, according to data from the IDPH.
All but one of Illinois counties are also experiencing “high” community transmission of COVID-19, placing most of the state in the category in which anyone over the age of 2 should resume wearing a. mask inside, regardless of vaccination status, health officials say.
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its guidelines late last month to recommend that fully vaccinated people again wear masks indoors in areas of the United States that experience “substantial transmission. ”Or“ high ”COVID-19.
The new guidelines marked a reversal from previous recommendations that fully vaccinated people could remove masks in most settings.
So, in what areas is the CDC advising people to wear masks indoors? Agency points to its COVID-19 data tracker showing community transmission levels, along with other data, for every county in the United States
As of Sunday, 101 counties in Illinois were experiencing “high” levels of community transmission, according to data from the IDPH. Carroll County has been marked as a “substantial” transmission.
All counties with “high” transmission mean that the recommendation to mask indoors, regardless of vaccination status, continues.
The agency is using two metrics to group U.S. counties into the four levels of community transmission: the number of new cases per 100,000 population and the percentage of positive COVID-19 tests over the past week.
If a county has reported 50-100 cases per 100,000 population over a seven-day period or has an 8-10% positivity rate, it falls into the “substantial transmission” level, while those reporting 100 cases or more per 100,000 or have a positivity rate of at least 10% are labeled as “high transmission”. These are the two groups for which the CDC recommends wearing masks.
The CDC also said last week that fully vaccinated people “might also choose to mask themselves regardless of the level of transmission, especially if they or a member of their household are immunocompromised or at increased risk of serious illness, or if a member of their household is not vaccinated. “
The Illinois Department of Public Health said last month it “fully embraces” the updated CDC guidelines and is following the lead of federal health officials in recommending indoor masking in stores. K-12 schools universally among teachers, staff, students and visitors to schools, regardless of immunization status.
On August 4, Governor JB Pritzker announced a new mask mandate, requiring – rather than recommending – that all students, teachers and staff at K-12 schools wear masks indoors as authorities take action to try to slow the spread of the more transmissible delta variant.
Chicago health officials have ordered a new indoor mask warrant for all people 2 years of age and older, regardless of their immunization status, which requires a face covering in all indoor public places, including bars, restaurants, gyms and private clubs.
Masks can be removed in restaurants, bars and other establishments while customers eat or drink, as well as for certain activities like beard shaving and facials, according to the CRPD.
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