The total number of new cases of COVID-19 in Evanston for the week ended June 15 was 202, down 12% from the week ended June 9. The number of new cases in the state increased by about 2%. Hospitalizations remained at about the same level.
Cook County, including Chicago, is in the High Community Risk Level. City officials say Evanston is in the “medium” risk category.
Researchers estimate that the real number of new cases is about six or seven times the reported number because many people who have tested positive in home tests do not report them.
COVID vaccines for children under 5 years old
On Wednesday, June 15, independent advisors to the Food and Drug Administration unanimously recommended that the FDA restrict the use of Moderna’s vaccine for children 6 months to 5 years and Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine for children 6 months to 4 years approved. old. The FDA is expected to make a quick decision on the recommendation.
The next step is for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s panel of independent experts to review the data this Friday and Saturday, June 17 and 18, and make a recommendation. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky will then decide whether or not to accept the recommendation.
Moderna’s vaccine is two doses given four weeks apart. The vaccines have been shown to be 51% effective in preventing disease in children aged 6 months to 2 years and 37% in children aged 2 to 5 years.
Pfizer’s vaccine has three doses, with the second dose given three weeks after the first and the third given two months after the second. The effective rate has not yet been determined, but preliminary data suggests it could be 80% effective against disease.
Trends in new cases in Illinois and Evanston
Illinois: As of Thursday, June 16, the number of new cases in the state was 5,334.
The seven-day average of new cases in Illinois on Thursday, June 16 was 4,751, lower than June 9’s 4,811, a 2% decrease. The graphic below shows the trend.
Evanston: Evanston reported that as of June 15, there were 37 new COVID-19 cases among Evanston residents. (Evanston reports COVID-19 data a day late.)
There were a total of 202 new COVID-19 cases among Evanston residents in the week ended June 15, compared to 240 new cases in the week ended June 9, a decrease of about 12%.
The graphic below shows the trend.
No Evanstonians died from COVID-19 in the week ended June 15. The number of deaths due to COVID-19 remains at 149.
Northwest University. The latest data reported on NU’s website says there were 279 new COVID-19 cases from faculty, staff or students between June 3 and 9. If the cases involve an Evanston resident, they are included in Evanston’s data for the appropriate period, Evanston Department of Health director Ike Ogbo told the roundtable. NU will update its data tomorrow.
Cases per 100,000
The weekly number of new cases per 100,000 people in Illinois is 264 in the seven days ended June 16.
On June 15, the weekly number of new cases per 100,000 people in Evanston was 273. On June 16, the number was 217 for Chicago and 321 for Suburban Cook County. An accompanying chart shows the trend.
hospitalizations
Hospital admissions due to COVID-19 have more than doubled in the past seven weeks. They went from 517 on April 6th to 1,188 on June 15th, just over a week ago.
The following chart, prepared by the City of Evanston, shows trends in hospitalizations due to COVID-19 at the three closest hospitals serving Evanston residents.
Cook County is in the high risk category
The CDC and IDPH look at the combination of three metrics to determine whether a community’s risk for COVID-19 is low, moderate, or high. These are: 1) the total number of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population over the last 7 days; 2) the new COVID-19 hospitalizations per 100,000 in the last 7 days; and 3) the percentage of staffed inpatient hospital beds occupied by COVID-19 patients. [1]
The City of Evanston reported tonight, June 16, that Evanston falls in the medium risk category. IDPH reported that Cook County, including Chicago, falls into the high-risk category.
While Evanston has more than 200 new cases per 100,000 people, the city reported tonight that the city recorded a total of 5.12 new hospital admissions per 100,000 people in 7 days and that 1.98% of inpatient hospital beds are occupied by COVID patients ( using a 7-day average).
The city has not said which hospitals it is considering in its community risk analysis.
The CDC and IDPH recommend the following actions for people in areas known to be high for transmission of COVID-19:
- Wear a well-fitting mask in public, regardless of immunization status (including in K-12 schools and other indoor community facilities).
- If you are immunocompromised or at high risk of serious illness:
- Wear a mask or respirator that will give you better protection.
- Consider avoiding non-essential indoor activities in public where you could be exposed.
- Talk to your doctor about whether you need to take other precautions.
- If necessary, prepare a plan for quick testing (e.g. home testing or access to testing).
- IF THE TEST POSITIVE: Talk to your doctor about whether you are a candidate for treatments like oral antivirals and monoclonal antibodies.
- If you live in the household or socialize with someone who is at high risk of developing a serious illness:
- Consider self-testing to detect infection prior to contact.
- Consider wearing a mask when you are indoors with them.
- Stay up to date on COVID-19 vaccines and boosters.
- If possible, provide improved ventilation in all indoor areas.
- Follow CDC recommendations for isolation and quarantine, including testing, if you are exposed to or have symptoms of COVID-19.
At all levels, people can wear a mask based on personal preference, informed by personal risk level. Anyone with symptoms, who tests positive, or has been in contact with someone with COVID-19 should wear a mask.
FOOTNOTES
1/ CDC recommends using three indicators to measure community COVID-19 levels: 1) new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population over the past 7 days; 2) new COVID-19 hospitalizations per 100,000 population in the last 7 days; and 3) the percentage of staffed inpatient beds occupied by patients with confirmed COVID-19 (7-day average).
The chart below shows how these indicators combine to determine whether COVID-19 community levels are low, medium, or high. That CDC offers many recommendations depending on whether the COVID-19 community level is low, medium or high.
