Health

In the news... In an about face, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Tuesday recommended everyone--including fully vaccinated individuals--wear a mask in public indoor settings in places with high transmission of the very contagious and deadly Delta variant of the coronavirus. 

On Tuesday the CDC also changed its stance regarding schools, recommending indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status. This was in line with a recent call by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) for universal indoor masking in school for students older than 2 and for staff. Previous CDC guidance called for unvaccinated students over 2, and employees/staff, to mask up inside.

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced Tuesday afternoon it was adopting the CDC's updated guidance.

Closest to Des Plaines, Walk In For Your COVID-19 Vaccine. Or, Schedule It

Cook County Vaccination Centers - myshotcookcounty.com

CCH Arlington Heights Health Center (3250 N. Arlington Heights Blvd., Arlington Heights). Also, 833-308-1988.

Pharmacies (Des Plaines)

Jewel-Osco (1500 Lee St.) Phone: 847-296-7786.

Walgreens (1378 Miner St.)  847-296-3958

Wal-Mart (727 W. Golf Rd.)   847-378-0985

Pharmacies near Des Plaines

Wal-Mart (930 Mount Prospect Plaza, Mount Prospect)  847-590-0011

Meijer (1301 Meijer Dr., Rolling Meadows)  847-690-1500

CVS (2648 Dempster St., Park Ridge)  847-298-2802

More on Illinois Aligning with CDC Updated Recommendations Tuesday

“While data continues to show the effectiveness of the three COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized in the U.S., including against the Delta variant, we are still seeing the virus rapidly spread among the unvaccinated. Cases and hospitalizations due to COVID-19 both continue to increase, overwhelmingly among the unvaccinated, but the risk is greater for everyone if we do not stop the ongoing spread of the virus and the Delta variant.  We know masking can help prevent transmission of COVID-19 and its variants.  Until more people are vaccinated, we join CDC in recommending everyone, regardless of vaccination status, wear a mask indoors in areas of substantial and high transmissions, and in K-12 schools.” 

-- IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike in a statement Tuesday

More on Delta Variant from Health Officials and Researchers

Delta is expected to claim more victims through this summer and into fall. The death toll in the U.S. from COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic last year currently stands at more than 609,000, according to CDC statistics Tuesday.

At last week's press briefing by the White House COVID-19 Response Team, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Delta now represented more than 83 percent of the virus circulating in the U.S. 

Another coronavirus variant in the U.S., Lambda, has been identified in several states. This variant was first identified in Peru in August 2020. At this point, it is not of great concern. Not like Delta, which is more than two times as transmissible as the original strain of the coronavirus.

Cases Rising in Illinois, the U.S.

On Friday, IDPH reported 7,983 new confirmed and probable cases in the state, including 47 more deaths, since last Friday, July 16. That's compared to 4,449 new confirmed and probable cases and 62 additional deaths reported on July 16 (since July 9).

Also on Friday, the CDC reported 64,321 new cases, compared to 55,132 on Thursday, and 46,318 on Wednesday.

Vaccinations

As of Tuesday, more than 163.3 million Americans were fully vaccinated, according to CDC statistics. That's 49.2 percent of the total population.

In Illinois, a total of 13,112,424 vaccines have been administered as of midnight. IDPH statistics Friday showed 139,495 doses were reported administered in the state since the previous Friday, July 16. 

Global Statistics

The number of COVID-19 cases in the world continues to rise. Statistics posted Tuesday by the World Health Organization (WHO) show 194,608,040 confirmed cases and 4,170,155 confirmed deaths. The U.S. continues in first place with more than 34.2 million confirmed cases. India remains in second with more than 31.4 million, and Brazil continues in the third spot with more than 19.6 million confirmed cases.

Additional Details About Signing up for Vaccine

Suburbanites can go to vaccine.cookcountyil.gov or phone (833) 308-1988, Cook County's vaccine enrollment help line. Those who cannot leave home to get vaccinated can call that same number. Or, go to:  bit.ly/inhomevaccine

Vaccination Sites

A portal on the state's coronavirus website (coronavirus.illinois.gov) lists vaccination locations. You can go to the following sites to try to make an appointment:

• Cook County
• vaccines.gov (on the CDC site)
• Chicago Behavioral Hospital (Des Plaines)
• Dr. B
• Chicago Vaccine Hunters (through Facebook)
• Walgreens
• CVS
• Jewel-Osco
• Meijer
• Walmart  
• Hy-Vee
• Mariano's

Conflicted about getting a shot of vaccine? IDPH has answers to frequently asked vaccine questions.

Testing

The testing center at the Arlington racetrack, 2200 W. Euclid Ave., Arlington Heights, is open from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., while daily supplies last. IDPH has a list of testing sites. 

IDPH COVID-19 news releases now will be issued once a week, on Fridays. Data will continue to be updated on the IDPH site Monday through Friday.

Mental Health/Medical Help

Call4Calm connects you to a mental health professional. It's free and anonymous. For English, text talk to 552020. For Spanish, text hablar to 552020.

You also can contact the Illinois Mental Health Collaborative. Call:  1-866-359-7953. 

To get help for substance abuse, call:  1-833-2findhelp.  Or, go to:  helplineil.org

For those with COVID-19 symptoms who don't require in-patient care, there is daily telehealth monitoring. Northern Illinois:  1-866-443-2584... Central Illinois and Rockford: 1-833-673-5669...Southern and west central Illinois (+ Metro East):  1-217-545-5100.

Cases by Location in Illinois

IDPH provides a breakdown by zip code and county of infections. In zip codes 60016 (6,757) and 60018 (3,709), Wednesday, the total number of positive cases was 10,466.

Daily COVID-19 cases and deaths - as of Friday, July 23, 2021

Illinois, IDPH:   1,407,929 total cases. 23,401 confirmed deaths. 

U.S. (since January 21, 2020), as of July 23:  CDC:  34,312,832 cases (64,321 new cases).  Total deaths: 608,113 (429 new deaths).

Globally as of July 23:  WHO:  192,284,207 confirmed cases.  4,136,518 confirmed deaths. 

Visit the following sites for additional information about COVID-19 and how to deal with this public health emergency:

 -- World Health Organization (WHO)

 -- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

 -- New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM)

 -- Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH)

 -- Cook County Department of Public Health

 -- Johns Hopkins University of Medicine

The death toll in Illinois due to vaping remains at five, according to IDPH.      

Help try to prevent suicides. Options include:

 -- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:  1-800-273-8255 (24/7)

 -- What can you do? The National Institute of Mental Health has details.  

 -- Veterans Crisis Hotline:  1-800-273-8255

Find out about the opioid crisis.

Considering a career in health? Take a look at Oakton Community College.

Oakton also has Continuing Education for Health Professionals (CEHP).