All residents of Cook County — including those in Chicago — now face a “medium” risk of contracting COVID-19 and should wear a mask indoors, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control.
to warn residents that the risk of contracting COVID-19 has risen from “low” to “medium.” The trigger to move from low to medium is recording more than 200 cases of confirmed cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 residents, according to federal health guidelines.
“It is not a reason to panic,” Arwady said during an online question-and-answer session on April 28 that focused on the rising number of confirmed cases of COVID-19. “It is not a reason that people cannot go to work, cannot go to school, cannot take the [CTA].” Those likely to get seriously sick from COVID-19 should talk to their doctor about whether to wear a mask and other precautions, Arwady said.
The number of people who have died from COVID-19 has never been lower, according to data from the Chicago Department of Public Health. Since April 3, 14 people have died from the virus, according to city data.Federal health officials would consider the risk of contracting COVID-19 “high” in a county where the hospitals and health system were beginning to be strained by the number of those ill with the virus, according to guidelines that have been in place since Feb. 28.