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CDPH's Dr. Allison Arwady will have a press conference at 3:30 p.m. where she'll talk about outreach efforts to the Latino community amid the pandemic.
I'll live tweet. Follow for updates and let me know if you have questions.
Today's numbers: https://blockclubchicago.org/2020/10/15/coronavirus-is-beginning-to-surge-again-in-chicago-and-illinois-reported-the-most-cases-in-1-day/
I'll live tweet. Follow for updates and let me know if you have questions.
Today's numbers: https://blockclubchicago.org/2020/10/15/coronavirus-is-beginning-to-surge-again-in-chicago-and-illinois-reported-the-most-cases-in-1-day/
You can watch here: https://www.pscp.tv/w/cldXnTFETEtCRGFKYXJMRUp8MVlwS2tOWmtwem14ari13Iwj-KEWg6f_l8-KknQHozYQcLqhiLMwrj-VAuJ0
Arwady: "We value our relationship with this task force so much. ... I know that my voice is small in comparison to all of your voices together."
Arwady: "We cannot, as you heard, let our guard down against COVID-19. The Latinx community, in particular, continues to have higher COVID case rates compared to the rest of the city. And if you've been following the numbers here in Chicago, this is not a good week for COVID."
Arwady: "And although some of that increase is explained by an increase in testing, most of it is not. We are seeing these increases across all race and ethnicity groups, across almost all age groups and in every part of the city. ...
"We're also seeing these increases not just in Chicago but across Illinois, across the Midwest and, in fact, seeing increases in the U.S. and also around the world. I know people are tired of COVID; we've been talking about COVID fatigue — this wishing that we didn't have to ...
"do the things we know work. Wishing that we didn't have to wear masks. Wishing that we could do all the normal ways of interacting that let us be close to each other ... . But right now, we need people more than ever to do the things that we know work. We will continue to ...
"provide resources to the areas hardest-hit by COVID, and that absolutely includes the Latinx community."
Arwady: City's sites don't require insurance, don't ask about immigration status, etc.
Arwady: Also, get your flu shot, "and, I have to say today, complete the census." (You can do that online at http://2020census.gov .) https://blockclubchicago.org/2020/10/13/free-flu-shots-are-available-for-chicagoans-heres-how-to-get-one/
Officials reminding people: If you feel sick, stay home.
Arwady: "I think what Dr. Ezike in particular was referring to was related to gatherings for holidays or when we're pulling extra people together — for Thanksgiving, for example. I agree broadly with the point that if you are introducing new people into your household, ...
"wearing a mask is one of the easiest ways to help reduce the risk for transmission."
Arwady: In Northwest Chicago, test positivity is 8-9%. In parts of the Southwest Side, in heavily Latino areas, test positivity is as high as 13-14%.
Arwady: We know there is more COVID in that community in that point. It also means we need to push additional testing resources.
Arwady: Where schools are open, there hasn't been significant spread related to those schools. Congregate settings in Chicago have a percent positivity of ~1%.
Arwady: "More than 90% of our cases are just associated with spread among family members, among close friends, among neighbors, really within households."
Arwady: "I'm certainly worried about the way numbers are heading, but we were able to flatten this curve once, and we were able to do it primarily by doing the things Dr. Brito was speaking about: wearing the mask, doing the social distancing, protecting those who are at ...
"higher risk for COVID, the basics of hand washing. It's getting colder and we're moving inside more. It's less for me, right now, about what are we doing in this public space sand more about helping people understand that they can best help us control COVID in Chicago by ...
"staying serious about it even in these private settings."
