Chicago will soon likely return to high COVID levels

Dr. Allison Arwady, Chicago Department of Public Health commissioner, at a news conference Thursday said that Chicago and Cook, DuPage, Lake, McHenry, Will and Kane counties remain at medium community levels of COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

But recently, New York City and Los Angeles moved to high levels of the illness, and Chicago will soon likely follow she said.

“I fully expect that as we continue to gather for the holidays and
head into the respiratory virus season, I expect that we also are likely
to get to a high level,” Arwady said. “If and when Chicago hits a high
COVID level, we will be issuing a formal advisory for Chicagoans to wear
their masks indoors.”

The advisory would encourage, but not require, masking indoors, according to the city health department.