COVID-19 hospitalizations in Illinois are at their highest levels in more than a month, which Illinois Department of Public Health officials say indicates the start of an expected "fall surge" of infections. "It has begun," said Dr. Arti Barnes, the state public health agency s chief medical officer.
Public health officials are urging anyone eligible for COVID-19 vaccine boosters to get one even though an upgraded version of the vaccine specifically designed to fight against the omicron variant is close to approval by federal regulators.