COVID coverage for all dries up even as hospital costs riseFederal money for COVID care of the uninsured is drying up, creating a potential barrier to timely access. May 05, 2022
Nearly 15 million deaths associated with COVID-19, WHO reportsThe WHO estimates that nearly 15 million people were killed either by COVID-19 or by its impact on overwhelmed health systems in the past two years — more than double the official death toll of 6 million. May 05, 2022
Chicago expected to reach ‘medium’ COVID-19 risk soon; city’s top doctor says mask rules could return if ‘high’ level reachedTop Chicago doctor Dr. Allison Arwady expects Chicago COVID-19 risk to increase to "medium" level May 03, 2022
CDC restates recommendation for masks on planes, trainsU.S. health officials restated their recommendation that Americans wear masks on planes, trains and buses, despite a court ruling last month that struck down a national mask mandate on public transportation. May 03, 2022
Pfizer aims to submit COVID vaccine data for children under 5 by early JunePfizer is testing three extra-small doses of its vaccine in children under 5 after two shots didn’t prove quite strong enough. May 03, 2022
Free, at-home COVID-19 tests can still be tough to find at Illinois pharmaciesSome say they’re having trouble getting at-home COVID-19 tests months after the White House began requiring insurers to cover them. May 03, 2022
Large portion of suburban Chicago is back to ‘medium’ COVID-19 risk; city expected to follow Chicago is still at low risk but mask mandates could return if the trend continues. April 29, 2022
Racial split on COVID-19 endures as restrictions ease in USBlack and Hispanic Americans remain far more cautious in their approach to COVID-19 than white Americans, recent polls show, reflecting diverging preferences on how to deal with the pandemic. April 29, 2022
FDA sets June meetings to review COVID vaccines for youngest kidsThe Food and Drug Administration on Friday set tentative dates in June to publicly review COVID-19 vaccines for the youngest American children. April 29, 2022
Feeling the strain of a long wait for a COVID-19 vaccine for young children, parents welcome news of Moderna’s authorization request: ‘It’s like ... society has moved on’Moderna on Thursday submitted a request to the Food and Drug Administration for emergency authorization of its COVID-19 vaccine for children younger than 6, a welcome development for parents. April 29, 2022
Moderna asks FDA to authorize COVID vaccine for kids under 6Moderna is seeking to be the first to offer COVID-19 vaccine for the youngest American children. April 28, 2022
‘Pandemic phase’ over for the U.S., but COVID-19 is still here, Dr. Anthony Fauci saysDr. Anthony Fauci said the U.S. is “out of the pandemic phase” when it comes to new infections, hospitalizations and deaths, but that it appears to be making a transition to COVID-19 becoming an endemic disease. April 27, 2022
Rush University Medical Center’s REACH program is bringing youth of color into health care sooner rather than laterThe Rush Education and Career Hub has provided hands-on “cradle to career” STEM learning for underrepresented students for years. Jayline Perez is one example of a youth set on the health care path through Rush University Medical Center's equity lens initiative. April 27, 2022
What do we know about the new omicron mutant?Here's what to know about the new omicron mutant, a descendant of the earlier super-contagious “stealth omicron” that has quickly gained ground in the United States. April 26, 2022
Most Americans have been infected with COVID-19 at least once, CDC saysThe common perception that nearly everyone in the U.S. seemed to have been infected with the omicron variant in the winter might not have been far from the truth. April 26, 2022
Administration expands availability of COVID antiviral pillPresident Biden’s administration is taking steps to expand availability of the life-saving COVID-19 antiviral treatment Paxlovid. April 26, 2022
Two years and counting into the pandemic, Chicago looks at how COVID-19 has affected the racial life expectancy gap. ‘The news is not good,’ Dr. Arwady says.Mayor Lightfoot joined Dr. Arwady and other community leaders in a roundtable discussion on how the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and related social stressors impacted the racial life expectancy gap in Chicago. April 25, 2022
Mask mandates return to many US college campuses as COVID cases riseThe final weeks of the college school year have been disrupted yet again by COVID-19 as universities bring back mask mandates, switch to online classes and scale back large gatherings in response to upticks in coronavirus infections. April 22, 2022
Philadelphia to end mask mandate, days after reinstating itPhiladelphia is ending its indoor mask mandate, city health officials said Thursday night, abruptly reversing course. April 22, 2022
Justice Department files appeal seeking to overturn order voiding travel mask mandateThe Justice Department is filing an appeal seeking to overturn a judge’s order that voided the federal mask mandate on planes, trains and travel hubs, officials said Wednesday. April 20, 2022