22 COVID Cases Reported Among Nearly 15K Fully Vaccinated Chicago Nursing Home Staff, Residents: CDC
Officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that 22 coronavirus cases were reported among fully vaccinated individuals at Chicago-area skilled nursing facilities between Dec. 2020 and March 2021, with two hospitalizations and one death reported among those cases.
According to the report, 12 residents and 10 staff members were diagnosed with the virus more than 14 days after receiving their second dose of the coronavirus vaccine as part of the study. In all, 7,931 residents and 6,834 staff members received two doses of the vaccine, meaning that less than one-tenth of a percent of those individuals ultimately contracted COVID during that time.
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Smokers Now Eligible for COVID Vaccine in Illinois Under Phase 1B Plus
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, smoking is considered an eligible condition under the phase alongside other conditions like cancer, diabetes, obesity, pregnancy and more.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that being a current or former cigarette smoker increases your risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
Illinois entered its Phase 1B Plus on Feb. 25, increasing eligibility to include people with certain underlying conditions and comorbidities. The move meant an additional 3.4 million people across Illinois became eligible for the vaccine.
Smoking was not on the list of eligible conditions when the phase was first announced, but was added as the state entered the phase last week.