The number of Americans 55 and older who died from an opioid overdose surged 1,886% from a little over 500 deaths in 1999 to more than 10,000 deaths two decades later, according to a new report.

City and state officials are advising people to be on the lookout for untrustworthy COVID-19 testing sites. What you should know before walking into a pop-up testing site. 

Speaking at the White House Thursday, President Joe Biden acknowledged that, “I know we’re all frustrated as we enter this new year” as virus cases reach new heights. But he insisted that it remains “a pandemic of the unvaccinated.” 

Rank-and-file CTU members on Wednesday signed off on the deal, two days after the union’s elected delegates voted to suspend a labor action that saw the vast majority of teachers refusing to work in person amid a spike in COVID-19 cases.

A man receives the first pig heart transplant. Astronomers witness a star go supernova. Researchers identify a biomarker of depression. And a goldfish goes for a drive. 

As COVID-19 hospitalizations surge, more than 2,000 health care workers will be sent to hospitals to help care for those who are ill. 

While people with disabilities are at high risk for COVID-19, a report from the National Council on Disability finds they haven’t been prioritized for vaccines in some states. 

As of Tuesday, just over 17% of children ages 5 to 11 were fully vaccinated, more than two months after shots for the age group became available.

Efforts to use COVID-19 testing to ensure outbreaks could be stamped out before they catch fire was at the heart of the dispute between school officials and union leaders.

In need of a COVID-19 test? Don’t just go to any site, cautions Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, who says pop-up COVID-19 testing sites aren’t licensed or regulated by any government agency. He shares tips for how to choose a testing site. 

Chicago students are set to return to their classrooms this week after several days at home as the city and Chicago Teachers Union have reached a compromise on new COVID-19 mitigations inside schools.

Dr. Ngozi Ezike breaks down the latest Illinois COVID-19 numbers and says the debate over the safety of in-person learning is nuanced. 

The leader of a Chicago nonprofit focused on homelessness says the demand for their services has skyrocketed. "We are getting inundated with calls, emails and walk-ins from people that never imagined they would ever need help like this before.”

A common indicator of COVID-19 is the loss of taste and smell, which can last for months after infection, according to recent research.

Starting Saturday, private health insurers will be required to cover up to eight home COVID-19 tests per month for people on their plans. 

“Although we have been negotiating hard throughout the day, there has not been sufficient progress for us to predict a return to class tomorrow,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot tweeted Sunday.