The positivity rate has illustrated the ebbs and devastating flows of case spikes and falls throughout a chaotic year. In the early weeks of the pandemic, the state’s average figure soared past 20%, then eased down to about 2.5% last summer. By mid-fall it was skyrocketing again, up to 13.2%. It’s now down to 2% the lowest it’s sunk since experts started tracking it.
Chicago is preparing to enter Phase 1b of its COVID-19 vaccination plan on Monday, which makes doses available to frontline workers and individuals over the age.