The Illinois Department of Health on Thursday warned of rising cases in the state and urged residents to follow CDC guidelines and take precautions as needed.
The health department said residents should “closely monitor conditions in their local communities” and urged vaccination and booster shots for eligible populations.
The Chicago Department of Health recently reminded residents what to do if they test positive for coronavirus, with cases continuing to rise as the BA.2 omicron subvariant becomes more prevalent.
“REMINDER: Regardless of vax status, if you test positive for COVID you must isolate for 5 days, then you must wear a mask in public for days 6-10,” the Chicago Department of Public Health wrote on Saturday Facebook.
The warning and reminders come as the so-called “stealth omicron” subvariant continues its rapid spread across the Midwest, accounting for more than 80% of recent COVID cases, according to estimates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
This rapid increase in subvariant cases is part of a trend of increasing cases in the state of Illinois. Since early April, Illinois’ daily case rate has increased by at least 45%.
“While hospitalizations and deaths related to COVID-19 currently remain stable, we are seeing a slow increase in cases in many areas of the state,” Acting IDPH Director Amaal Tokars said in a statement. “This is a reminder that we all need to remain vigilant and updated on our vaccination status. This is especially important for those who are at higher risk of serious consequences.”
Here’s what the CDC recommends after a COVID exposure.
If you are exposed to COVID and are not vaccinated or not up to date on booster vaccination
-Quarantine at home for at least five days. If you must be with other people in your household, wear a mask.
-Even if you don’t develop symptoms, get tested at least five days after close contact. According to CDC guidelines, the day you are exposed to COVID is considered Day 0, and the first full day after that exposure is Day 1.
If you are vaccinated and have received your booster shot
-The CDC does not recommend quarantine unless you develop symptoms.
– Wearing a mask is recommended for 10 days after exposure, even for people who are fully vaccinated against COVID.
-If you develop symptoms, get tested. Otherwise, the CDC does not specifically recommend post-exposure testing in vaccinated patients.
If you have had a confirmed case of COVID-19 within the last 90 days and have been exposed to a COVID-positive patient
-No quarantine is recommended.
-Continue to monitor for symptoms for 10 days. If you develop symptoms, get tested and start isolating until results come back.
-The CDC recommends that these people wear a mask for 10 days after exposure.