 In addition to adopting new CDC guidelines, IDPH is
bolstering the data on its COVID-19 dashboard to provide additional
information to help communities respond to changes in the course of
the virus.
Among the new data that has been or will be shared on the IDPH
COVID-19 dashboard are the following:
Updated data on vaccination rates to reflect the full population
eligible as eligibility continues to evolve.
The number of people admitted to the hospital with a COVID-19
diagnosis.
More detailed data on hospitalizations, including information
about vaccination status in those who are hospitalized.
Test and case positivity rates were seen as a good way to monitor
the level of community spread early in the pandemic, said IDPH
Acting Director Amaal Tokars. At this stage, now that we have
vaccines and effective therapies available, it is more useful to
rely on data that indicates the case rate, disease severity and the
level of strain on healthcare system to guide our public health
recommendations.
The changes adopted by the CDC mean that states will no longer be
required to report negative antigen test (rapid test) results and
are only required to report negative PCR and NAAT (Nucleic Acid
Amplification Test) results that were performed in certified labs.
In addition, the widespread use of at-home tests means that national
testing data is not as comprehensive or representative of
population-based testing as it was before the introduction of
at-home tests.
The CDC announced in March that is relying on these three metrics to
determine the community level of COVID-19 and to classify it as low,
medium or high:
Total new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population in the past 7
days.
New COVID-19 admissions per 100,000 population in the past 7 days.
The percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19
patients.
IDPH officials note that case rates for COVID-19 are now slowly
rising in many areas of the state. However, hospitalizations and
deaths continue to remain low at this time.
Given that the spread of COVID-19 is increasing,
it is critically important that those who are at high risk for
serious illness take the following precautions:
Get vaccinated and stay up-to-date on recommended booster shots to
protect yourself, your loved ones and friends.
If you are in an area with rising COVID-19
infections, wear a mask if entering indoor spaces with other people
present and consider avoiding large gatherings.
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Stick to well-ventilated areas if you are not
wearing a mask indoors around other people.
If you feel flu-like symptoms, self-isolate and stay home from
work as well as social gatherings; and obtain a test as quickly as
possible.
If you test positive, talk to your provider immediately so you can
get COVID-19 treatment within five days of starting to feel sick.
Also, communicate about the positive result with any persons you
have been in close contact within two days of falling sick or
testing positive.
Continue to frequently wash your hands and cover coughs and
sneezes.
In addition, on March 29, the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) issued updated guidance that authorized a second
booster dose for certain segments of the population at least four
months after the first booster dose. This applies to adults over 50
years of age, and to immunocompromised individuals (those with a
poor ability to fight infections) over 12 years old. The CDC also
recommended a second booster dose with an mRNA vaccine for all those
who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for both their primary
dose and their first booster, four months after their first booster
dose. Those who already received an mRNA booster dose after their
initial Johnson and Johnson primary vaccine do not need an
additional booster unless they are either over the age of 50 years
or immunocompromised.
The State of Illinois remains strongly positioned to respond in the
event of a new COVID-19 surge. The State stockpile of tests is
nearly fully replenished, with more than 1.5 million rapid tests on
hand, and a half a million more on the way in the coming weeks. The
State has also instructed hospitals, schools, and long term care
facilities to consider their current testing capacity and take all
preparations necessary. The State is also supporting pharmacies and
healthcare providers in efforts to increase their inventories of the
various FDA-authorized treatments in case of another surge. In
Illinois, 99.4% of state residents have a pharmacy or clinic
providing or dispensing treatment within 20 miles of where they
live.
For more information, go to:
https://dph.illinois.gov/covid19.html.
Vaccination is the key to ending this pandemic. To find a COVID-19
vaccination location near you, go to www.vaccines.gov.
The federal government recently established a new website that
provides an all-purpose toolkit that provides information on how to
obtain masks, treatment, vaccines and testing resources for all
areas of the country at:
https://www.covid.gov/.
[Illinois Office of Communication and
Information] |
