Coronavirus

Despite the recent surge in cases globally, the United States' most recent proposal to fund the fight against COVID-19 includes little money for international aid.

In December, only 5.4 percent of Dunne students were fully vaccinated. But in the past few months, the school has seen an increase in uptake to 42.3 percent, close to CPS' overall average.

The city's health department is "strongly recommending" people wear masks when indoors in public, including on public transportation.

Cook County's health department announced Friday the suburbs are also considered medium risk and people should wear masks when indoors.

Restaurants that relied on the Downtown lunch crowd struggled to get by when the pandemic sent hundreds of thousands of workers home. Federal agencies began bringing workers back to offices last month.

Chicago, the suburbs and the rest of the state have seen daily COVID-19 cases go up as more contagious variants of Omicron have spread.

Omicron drove cases to record highs over the winter, which Chicago and Illinois hitting peaks in late December and early January.

Black and Latino Chicagoans have been the most affected by worsening life expectancy. Black Chicagoans now live 10 years less than white residents, on average.

Four counties in Illinois — DuPage Country and three others in central Illinois — are considered medium risk.

Southbound traffic on Glenwood Avenue between Lunt and Morse avenues will be closed to drivers starting Friday.

The numbers of people being hospitalized with and dying from COVID-19 remain low, and those are the figures officials are most closely watching, Gov. JB Pritzker said at a Thursday news conference.

The city is seeing an average of less than one Chicagoan dying per day from COVID-19 and five new people being hospitalized with the virus per day.

The state will no longer require people to wear masks on public transit or in travel hubs like train stations and airports.

Gov. JB Pritzker has an executive order that requires masking on public transit. It's in place through at least April, though that could be extended.

The CDC had recently extended the order through May.

Pfizer has indicated it plans to ask the Food and Drug Administration to provide emergency use authorization for booster shots for kids 5-11.

Severe cases — which show up as people hospitalized with COVID-19 or people dying from the virus — haven't risen, Gov. JB Pritzker said.

Applications for the program will open April 25. Households that get picked to participate in the pilot will receive $500 per month for one year.

Officials have urged people to get vaccinated and take safety steps that fit their comfort and needs.

All travelers should check the advisory so they know if they are going to an area where the COVID-19 risk is low, medium or high, according to the health department.