Respiratory virus and COVID-19 levels are low across all Illinois counties, according to an Illinois Department of Public Health news release Friday.
The state’s virus level is “Minimal,” the lowest level on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Respiratory Illness Activity Level scale.
CDC data shows that COVID-19 hospitalizations across Illinois decreased by 22% in the week of Apr. 20. In Cook County, the hospitalization rate decreased by 16% during that span, hospitalizing 121 people.
The national hospitalization rate decreased by 14.4%, and 5,615 people were hospitalized in the U.S. for COVID-19 the same week.
COVID-19 does not follow the same seasonal trends as other respiratory viruses, like the flu, said Dr. Sameer Vohra, the IDPH director, in the release. He said this is why those most vulnerable to COVID-19 need to be aware of precautions they can take.
In February, the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices released new COVID-19 vaccine guidelines, recommending people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised get a second dose of the 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine. The guidelines also say those 65 years and older are eligible for their second dose of the updated vaccine.
Email: [email protected]
X: @anavi_52
Related Stories:
