Chicago Reverts to ‘High’ COVID Alert Status as Other Areas See Improvements

Three Chicago-area counties as well as the city of Chicago have shifted to “high” community level status for COVID-19 in the past week. However, that’s not the case statewide as Illinois’ COVID situation has improved overall.

Suburban Cook, DuPage and Lake counties reported increases in metrics, and as a result, were moved from “medium” to “high” community level status, according to Thursday’s update of the CDC county-by-county community level map.

The situation was drastically different in Kankakee, Kendall and Will counties, which were all listed at “high” community level status a week prior, but have since transitioned to “medium” status following decreases in metrics.

Statewide, 20 counties are said to be at “high” community level status, compared to 25 counties a week earlier. An additional 47 counties throughout the state are now in the “medium” category, according to health officials.

The Illinois Department of Public Health continues to urge precautions in curbing the spread of COVID-19 as more than half of counties remain at “medium” or “high” community level status.

The counties listed at “high” community level status are suburban Cook, DuPage and Lake in northeastern Illinois; Adams, Champaign, Douglas, Ford, Fulton, Knox, Macon, Marshall, Montgomery, Peoria, Pike and Tazewell in central Illinois; and Johnson, Marion, Massac, Washington and Wayne in southern Illinois.

At the “high” level, the CDC recommends that all people in the area wear a mask indoors regardless of vaccination status. For those who are immunocompromised, the CDC suggests avoiding “non-essential indoor activities” in public places.

In the counties at “medium” risk level, the CDC recommends the elderly and immunocompromised wear a mask in indoor public places and receive COVID vaccinations and booster shots, if eligible.