White House, Moderna reach deal for omicron COVID-19 vaccineThe omicron strain has been dominant in the U.S. since December, with the BA.5 subvariant now causing a massive wave of infections across the country. July 29, 2022
Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin says he tested positive for COVIDU.S. Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois said he tested positive for COVID-19 and was in quarantine with what he described as minor symptoms. July 28, 2022
CPS will ‘strongly recommend’ masks for the new school year but won’t mandate them; Chicago remains at high COVID-19 level CPS ditched its mask mandate in March amid dropping cases and legal pressure. July 27, 2022
New studies bolster theory coronavirus emerged from the wildTwo new studies provide more evidence that the coronavirus pandemic originated in a Wuhan, China market where live animals were sold. July 27, 2022
16 Chicago Housing Authority workers fired over PPP pandemic loan fraud; 17th person resignedPublic housing residents received $135 million in Paycheck Protection Program funds, another "significant indicator” of fraud, the agency watchdog said. July 25, 2022
Tampons present an innovative way for scientists, researchers to test for COVID-19 in sewersAs new coronavirus variants dominate COVID-19 cases in Chicago, researchers said they were able to detect the presence of the omicron BA.2 subvariant two weeks before it showed up in an individual clinical COVID test by using tampons planted in sewers around the city. July 25, 2022
Cook County hopes to eliminate $1 billion in residents’ medical debt. Here’s how.The initiative would use COVID-19 relief money to transfer medical bill debt to a nonprofit group, which would forgive it. July 21, 2022
President Joe Biden tests positive for COVID-19President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, underscoring the persistence of the highly contagious virus as new variants challenge the nation’s efforts to resume normalcy after two and a half years of pandemic disruptions. July 21, 2022
Only 5.3% of Illinois children under 5 have received a COVID-19 vaccine, worrying pediatriciansPediatricians are concerned that only about 5.3% of Illinois children under 5 have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. July 20, 2022
CDC advisers endorse more traditional Novavax COVID vaccineRegulators authorized the nation’s first so-called protein vaccine against COVID-19 last week, but Novavax shots cannot begin until the CDC recommends how to use them. July 19, 2022
Gov. J.B. Pritzker tests positive for COVID-19Gov. J.B. Pritzker has tested positive for coronavirus for the first time after several trips last week, his office announced Tuesday. July 19, 2022
COVID rises across U.S. amid muted warnings and murky dataCOVID-19 is surging around the U.S. again in what experts consider the most transmissible variant of the pandemic yet. But this time, public health authorities are holding back. July 18, 2022
Gov. J.B. Pritzker ends COVID vaccine mandates at colleges as he tweaks many statewide pandemic restrictionsThe governor's changes come despite growing concerns about new coronavirus variants that appear more able to evade immunity. July 13, 2022
White House urges caution on COVID variants and pushes boostersThe Biden administration is calling on people to exercise renewed caution about COVID-19, emphasizing the importance of getting booster shots for those who are eligible and wearing masks indoors. July 12, 2022
‘The virus is not done with us yet’: New COVID-19 variants better evade antibodies, doctors sayTwo new variants of the virus appear to more easily evade immune protection from prior infections, meaning even some who have recovered from a case of COVID-19 in recent months may become a clean slate for the virus. The vaccines remain effective in largely preventing hospitalizations and death, doctors say. July 12, 2022
New COVID-19 mutation raises concernsThe quickly changing coronavirus has spawned yet another super contagious omicron mutant that’s worrying scientists. July 11, 2022
Most Americans say life is starting to return to pre-COVID normal, a poll showsMost Americans say their lives are at least approaching pre-pandemic normalcy, according to a recent study. July 06, 2022
Reduced COVID-19 testing across the U.S. is blurring view of the pandemicAs public COVID-19 testing sites run by state and local governments have winnowed, more states have also stopped giving daily data updates, creating a foggier look at the state of virus across the country. July 05, 2022
Hesistant parents seek answers as COVID-19 shots begin for children 5 and under: ‘I know it’s safer for him to be vaccinated’An Advocate Aurora Health pediatric clinic in Evergreen Park is providing vaccinations for children 6 months up to 5 years old. July 01, 2022
Elmo, 3, joins youngest Americans in getting COVID-19 vaccineIn a public service announcement posted to YouTube, 3-and-a-half-year-old Elmo talked with his dad about what it was like to get the COVID-19 vaccine. June 30, 2022