Evanston’s COVID-19 positivity rate reached its lowest since July 2021, having trended downward since its 8.12% peak in December.

The seven-day moving average positivity rate this week reached 0.39% — a 0.51 percentage point decline from last week’s 0.90%.

The city reported 59 cases this week — a 36% reduction from last week’s 92 cases — continuing a streak of having fewer than 100 positive cases reported in a week. Meanwhile, the number of COVID-19 tests conducted in the last seven days have approximately doubled compared to the week before.

Cook County and Illinois have also seen low positivity rates similar to those last summer. The county’s test positivity rate this week declined 0.8 percentage points to 2.4% from last week’s 3.2%. The state’s test positivity rate saw a similar percentage point decline, reaching 1.7% compared to last week’s 2.5%. 

Weekly vaccination rates in the city have slowly increased. There was a 0.1 percentage point increase to 97.2% in residents ages five and older who received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. In this age group, 87.4% of residents are fully vaccinated, representing a 0.2 percentage point increase from last week. 

Vaccination rates at the county and state level also minimally increased. In Cook County, 78.3% of individuals ages five and older have received at least one dose and just over 71% are fully vaccinated. The state saw 80.8% and 71.7% for both groups, respectively.

Last week, Evanston lifted its mask and vaccine mandates. Individuals are no longer required to show proof of vaccination or wear masks in most indoor public spaces such as grocery stores, libraries and restaurants unless the establishment specifies otherwise.

While masks are still required on public transportation services and in high-risk locations such as healthcare facilities, Evanston Township High School District 202 and Northwestern made masking optional in most indoor shared spaces.

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— City to lift mask and vaccine mandate Monday in accordance with state timeline

— Pritzker announces end to indoor mask mandate, with some exceptions