Chicago Department of Public Health Weekly Media Brief, 08/01/2024

COVID-19 Uptick in Chicago

COVID-19 activity has been gradually but consistently increasing over the past four weeks in Chicago. The proportion of emergency department visits attributed to COVID-19 diagnoses has increased from 1.0% to 1.3%. The test positivity for SARS-CoV-2 has increased from 9.8% to 12.8%.

In March, CDC issued updated guidance for how people experiencing a range of COVID-19 symptoms can limit spread. The guidance advises that the time of isolation be based on an individual's specific symptoms. The core components of CDC's updated recommendations are:

• If you get sick with a respiratory virus: stay home and away from others. You can consider returning to normal activities when: symptoms have been getting better overall for 24 hours, and if a fever was present, it has been gone for 24 hours without use of a fever-reducing medication.
• Once you resume normal activities, you are encouraged to take precautions for the next 5 days to curb disease spread including:
• Wear a well-fitting mask.
• Take steps for cleaner air.
• Enhance your hygiene practices.
• Keeping a distance from others.

It is anticipated there will be a new COVID-19 vaccine for the 2024-2025 respiratory virus season this Fall, recommended for everyone 6 months of age or older. Until the 2024-2025 vaccine is available, CDPH and CDC still recommend the 2023-2024 vaccine for those who have not received it.

CDPH and CPS Partner for Student Mental Health

On Friday, August 2, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and CDPH will convene a Back-to-School Mental Health Provider conference. This free, 1-day, public event will support providers and community-based mental health professionals who are supporting schools to break down barriers that interfere with student referrals or starting services. The primary goal of the gathering is to mobilize school-based and local mental health providers receiving student referrals to enhance provider coordination, shared process adoption and provision of best practices.

CDPH and CPS leadership have established a strong partnership and coordination strategy to ensure that all CPS students have consistent access to effective mental health interventions through partnerships with community. Focusing on prevention, promotion, and intervention of mental health services in school settings can assist students in getting the care they need, when they need it. For more information and to register to attend the event, go to Eventbrite.

Stay Safe at Lollapalooza

Festival season is here, Chicago! As we get ready to enjoy all that Chicago's best season has to offer, it's important to remember that taking care of ourselves and each other should be part of the fun. This year, make sure to use harm reduction practices to minimize the negative social and/or physical consequences associated with certain behaviors, both legal and illegal. For festival season this means staying hydrated, engaging in crowd safety, knowing the signs of heat stroke, carrying Narcan and testing drugs before consumption. Visit any Chicago Public Library branch to access free Narcan, email [email protected] to request free fentanyl test kits or visit chicago.gov/vendingmachines to find the location of a City of Chicago Public Health Vending Machine. Remember to request a pin so you can access harm reduction and public health supplies at no-cost.

New Healthy Chicago Podcast

On a new English-language episode of Healthy Chicago Podcast, CDPH Commissioner Olusimbo Ige and Dr. Katelyn Jetelina discuss public health communications, how Your Local Epidemiologist became a trusted voice in health & science, and what the future holds for examining health-related topics and engaging with the public in impactful ways.

In the latest Spanish-language podcast episode, Dr. Geraldine Luna and Maria Elena Ponticiello, Meteorologist at Univision Chicago, delve into the nature of heat waves and their increasing frequency in the Midwest. They discuss the risks associated with high temperatures and emphasize how these heat waves impact various areas in Chicago differently. The episode also provides practical advice on how to stay safe during extreme heat conditions.

Listen to the newest Healthy Chicago episodes on the CDPH website and all major platforms: Spotify / YouTube / Apple

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