With coronavirus instances and hospitalizations persevering with a speedy decline after a peak within the omicron variant, the commissioner of Chicago’s Division of Public Well being says that she hopes that masks and vaccine mandates might be lifted, however cautioned that doing so too early would set again efforts to fight the virus.
Throughout a press convention on Tuesday, Dr. Allison Arwady mentioned that town has seen its positivity fee and hospitalizations drop considerably in current weeks, and that she is heartened by the rising information.
“Issues are wanting fairly good,” she mentioned.
In line with Arwady, town’s positivity fee on COVID checks is now all the way down to 4.5%, the bottom of any of Illinois’ 11 well being care areas. On New 12 months’s Eve, that positivity fee peaked at 20.5%.
Even nonetheless, Arwady says that lifting the masks and vaccine mandates within the metropolis is one thing that she desires to do, but additionally desires to train endurance in doing due to fears of a rebound within the variety of instances with so many individuals nonetheless gathering indoors.
“Arwady mentioned “Issues are wanting fairly good.” She didn’t supply an actual date when that may occur.
Division of Public Well being Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady mentioned what to find out about varied masks choices—fabric, surgical, KN95, and N95— and which masks you ought to be carrying.
“I need to have the ability to raise this, I need to have the ability to raise it although at a time that we’re assured that it gained’t result in a serious rebound,” Arwady mentioned.
Chicago has had a masks mandate for indoor areas in place because the fall, and within the new 12 months instituted a requirement for attendees of occasions in indoor venues, in addition to prospects at sure establishments like eating places and museums, to indicate a proof of COVID vaccination.
The town additionally offered updates on its vaccination mandate for workers, with Arwady saying that just about 84% of all metropolis workers at the moment are absolutely vaccinated towards COVID-19.
Arwady did say that these people who haven’t gotten their pictures, and who haven’t acquired a medical or spiritual exemption, might probably face termination or different self-discipline.
“At this level, folks have actually run out of time,” she mentioned.
The subsequent query for metropolis workers shall be whether or not they’ll be required to obtain booster doses of the COVID vaccine. Chicago Public Colleges has requested workers to submit info concerning their booster standing by March 1, however says that they haven’t formally mandated receiving the pictures presently.
