As coronavirus cases climb once again, health officials are urging Illinoisans to get their COVID-19 vaccine booster shots now to help avoid a full-blown winter surge like the state has seen the past two years.
Not even 15% of eligiblehave gotten the updated bivalent booster designed to target the Omicron variant — a rate that is "absolutely not enough for us to avoid trouble this winter," Chicago Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said Friday.
The warning came as 38 counties were flagged for elevated COVID-19 levels across Illinois as determined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an increase of 12 from the previous week. Under a high transmission level, masks are recommended for all indoor settings, regardless of age or vaccination status.
Fatal cases have remained low but persistent, with an average of 10 Illinoisans succumbing to the virus each day over the past week. The overall pandemic death toll stands at 35,235.