Stories by kristen thometz

(WTTW News)

CDC Report on Breakthrough COVID-19 Infections Shows Effectiveness of Vaccines

More than 20 residents and staff at skilled nursing facilities in Chicago contracted COVID-19 after being fully vaccinated. But a new report shows the majority of those who got sick had no symptoms – and did not spread the virus to others.

(WTTW News)

Newly Released Suburban Cook County Data Shows Who’s Getting Vaccinated

Black and Latino residents of suburban Cook County, who are more likely to contract COVID-19 and experience severe illness and die, are getting vaccinated at a slower pace than whites and Asians, according to public health officials.

(WTTW News via CNN)

Suburban Cook County Testing Walk-In Vaccine Appointments

Getting a COVID-19 vaccine in suburban Cook County just got a little easier. Mass vaccination sites in Tinley Park and Matteson will accept walk-in appointments through Saturday in an effort to remove barriers to vaccination, according to officials.

(WTTW News)

Navy Pier Reopening Outdoor Spaces, Select Attractions April 30

One of the state’s top tourist attractions will soon begin reopening its doors after closing for eight months due to the coronavirus pandemic.

(WTTW News)

As COVID-19 Cases Climb in Young Adults, State Hosting ‘College Vaccination Days’

“Our young adults have a key role to play in bringing this pandemic to an end,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a statement Friday announcing state-supported mass vaccination sites will have appointments available specifically for college students starting this weekend.

(WTTW News)

Will COVID-19 Rates in Suburban Cook County Trigger Additional Restrictions?

The county has seen virus-related hospitalizations increase for 10 consecutive days; and for three days, the availability of intensive care unit beds has dipped below 20%, according to public health data reported Thursday.

Dr. Kenneth Wilson, left, medical director of University of Chicago Medicine’s trauma center, works with Lt. Col. Timothy Plackett, DO, a trauma surgeon from the U.S. Army who is spending the next three years working at the Hyde Park academic medical center. (Credit: University of Chicago Medicine)

UChicago Medicine, US Army Join Forces to Train Military Health Care Personnel

The partnership announced Thursday will help better prepare surgeons, nurses and medics ahead of deployments by keeping their skills sharp while also supporting patients who need critical care.

(Andrés Rodríguez / Pixabay)

Rising Number of COVID-19 Cases Illustrates Ongoing Need for Contact Tracers

More than 1.5 million COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in suburban Cook County. While the pace of vaccinations is ramping up, infections are rising, keeping contact tracers busy doing vital work to stop the spread of the virus, officials say.

(WTTW News)

Illinois Officials Report 4,004 New COVID-19 Cases, 21 Deaths

The number of coronavirus cases statewide continues to climb as officials reported Friday more than 4,000 new and probable cases, as well as 21 virus-related deaths.

(WTTW News)

All Suburban Cook County Residents Eligible to Get Vaccine April 12

Suburban Cook County residents ages 16 and older will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine beginning Monday, and while eligibility in Chicago doesn’t expand until April 19, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said adults in Chicago are also “absolutely welcome” to sign up at any state-run mass vaccination site starting Monday.

(JamesDeMers / Pixabay)

Cook County Officials Not Reimposing COVID-19 Restrictions – Yet

Suburban Cook County health officials are extremely concerned with the rise in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations but are holding off on reimposing mitigations to curb the spread of the virus, at least for now.

Richard Biggs, 20, an evolutionary biology major at the University of Colorado Boulder, gets his first dose of the Moderna vaccine from Dr. Laird Wolfe. Biggs is one of the first group of students in a new study to determine if the vaccine can prevent COVID-19 infection and transmission in the student population. CU Boulder students will join 12,000 other college students in the country.  (Photo by Glenn Asakawa / University of Colorado)

University of Illinois, Northwestern Seeking Students for Clinical Trial of COVID-19 Vaccine

More than 20 colleges and universities across the country are looking for students to enroll in a clinical trial to see if the COVID-19 vaccine prevents infection and spread of the virus among them.

(WTTW News)

Feds Sending Illinois $124M to Expand Vaccination Efforts

New funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will allow Illinois to “move quickly to further expand our aggressive efforts to reach those most vulnerable to COVID-19,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a statement. 

Dr. Igor Koralnik, left, examines a patient. (Credit: Northwestern Medicine)

Study: COVID-19 Long Haulers’ Symptoms Impact Quality of Life, Cognitive Abilities

A Northwestern Medicine study of 100 COVID-19 long haulers found that 85% experienced four or more neurologic symptoms, including “brain fog,” that impacted their quality of life and, in some patients, their cognitive abilities. 

(WTTW News)

Federal Officials Warn of COVID-19 Surge, Open Mass Vaccination Site in Gary, Indiana

Federal officials announced Monday a mass vaccination site will be opening in Gary, Indiana, as they warned of rising coronavirus cases across the country and urged residents to wear masks, social distance and limit travel.

(JamesDeMers / Pixabay)

Suburban Cook County Eases Restrictions Despite Uptick in COVID-19 Cases, Illnesses

The move comes a day after the city of Chicago loosened restrictions on outdoor businesses and social gatherings.  

(WTTW News)

Efforts to Address Health Disparities Can’t Stop in Post-Pandemic World, Experts Say

The pandemic has exposed disparities in access, experts say. A look at the ongoing efforts to make vaccine distribution more equitable and the need to continue those efforts in a post-pandemic world.

(WTTW News)

Illinois Attorney General: Contact Utility Companies Before Shut Off Moratorium Lifts

Starting April 1, state-regulated electric, natural gas and utilities may begin to disconnect customers who haven’t paid their bills, according to Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, who urged customers to contact their providers if they’re facing financial hardship.

State Rep. Janet Yang Rohr speaks Monday, March 22, 2021 about the anti-Asian discrimination. (WTTW News)

Asian Community Calls for Action in Wake of Deadly Atlanta Shooting

A coalition of state representatives and organizations representing the Asian, Asian American and Pacific Islander community called on residents to unite against discrimination in the wake of a mass shooting in Georgia that eight people, including six women of Asian descent.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker announces the opening of a new COVID-19 vaccination site in Forest Park on Monday, March 22, 2021. (WTTW News)

Officials Launch Mass Vaccination Site in Forest Park

A year after the state shut down to stop the spread of the coronavirus, officials announced the opening of a new mass vaccination site in Cook County that will be open to all eligible Illinois residents starting Friday.

(WTTW News)

West Side United Receives $6.9M to Respond to Pandemic

A coalition of health care institutions and professionals working together as West Side United are providing relief to businesses and individuals affected by the COVID-19 pandemic through small business grants and emergency rental assistance. 

Gov. J.B. Pritzker gives an update on the coronavirus and announces new reopening guidelines on Thursday, March 18, 2021 (WTTW News)

Pritzker Unveils Reopening Plan, Says All Adults Will Be Eligible for Vaccine by April 12

In less than a month, all Illinois residents ages 16 and older will be eligible for the coronavirus vaccine, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Thursday. “COVID-19 has not gone away, but the light we can see at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter and brighter as more people get vaccinated,” he said.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker speaks Wednesday, March 17, 2021 in Decatur. (WTTW News)

Pritzker: Georgia Mass Shooting ‘An Attack on All of Our Communities’

Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday condemned a mass shooting a day earlier in Georgia that left eight people dead, most of them women of Asian descent.

(Mimzy / Pixabay)

Illinois Launches Hotline for COVID-19 Vaccine Appointments

A new call center will help eligible Illinois residents — including those without access to the internet — secure a coveted COVID-19 vaccine appointment by phone. 

The Rev. Claude Porter of Maywood’s Proviso Missionary Baptist Church, is part of a new public education campaign aimed at addressing vaccine hesitancy. (Credit: Cook County Health / Cook County Government / Cook County Public Health)

Cook County Launches ‘My Shot’ Campaign to Address Vaccine Hesitancy

Personal stories from Cook County residents who have gotten the COVID-19 vaccine highlight a new campaign that aims to dispel misinformation and encourage others to roll up their sleeves when it’s their turn.

If and when fests do return, they’ll look different than they did before the pandemic. (Credit: Amdur Productions)

Event Organizers Cautiously Optimistic for 2021 Summer Festival Season

The 2020 summer festival season was a bust, thanks to COVID-19, but local organizers say they’re feeling hopeful about the return of neighborhood street festivals and art shows this year. Here’s what to expect.