CCDPH Media Statement Suburban Cook County Moving to Medium Level of COVID Transmission

Cook County Department of Public Health Statement
Suburban Cook County Moving to Medium Level of COVID-19 Transmission

Due to an increase in the number of positive cases of COVID-19, suburban Cook County is now at the “Medium” level of transmission. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s COVID-19 Community Levels Framework defines “Medium” transmission as higher than 200 cases per 100,000 residents. As of April 28, 2022, suburban Cook County is reporting 210 cases per 100,000 residents in the last 7 days.

Based on the current CDC guidance, CCDPH recommends,

• wearing a mask indoors to protect those at high risk for severe illness from a COVID infection including adults over the age of 50, those with underlying medical conditions, and the immunocompromised,
• socializing outdoors if possible and avoiding poorly ventilated indoor settings,
• getting tested before attending a family or public event. Home tests are ideal for this purpose,
• contacting your doctor right away to get treatment for COVID if you are diagnosed, and
• getting any COVID-19 vaccine boosters that you are eligible for.

Dr. Rachel Rubin, Senior Medical Officer and Co-Lead of CCDPH advises, “These recommendations are not new but are being emphasized to protect our communities from further increases in COVID. As hospitalizations remain low, we want to contain further spread now.”

In suburban Cook County, more than 1.9 million residents (86 percent of the population) have received at least one dose of the vaccine and almost 1.5 million (65 percent) are fully vaccinated.
If you haven’t yet, please get vaccinated to protect yourself, your family and community against COVID-19. To find a vaccination location near you, visit cookcountypublichealth.org.