Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration's scientific advisers reviewed whether the next round of shots in the U.S. should only include protection against the newest variants that are now dominant worldwide — a branch of the omicron family tree named XBB.

Most Americans can expect to pay more for COVID-related care when the federal government ends its pandemic emergency declaration Thursday.

As of Thursday night, 404 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19, the fewest since July 4, 2021. Of those, 46 patients were in the ICU, the fewest since the start of the pandemic.

As of Thursday night, 475 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 49 patients were in the ICU, the first time the state has been under 50 COVID-19 patients in the ICU since the start of the pandemic.

Both IDPH and the Illinois Department on Aging have endorsed action this week by both the FDA and the CDC to simplify their recommendations for COVID-19 vaccinations

As of Thursday night, 568 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19, the fewest since April 19, 2022

Weekly COVID-19 deaths as reported by the IDPH are at their lowest since the beginning of the pandemic. But wastewater surveillance suggests COVID-19 is back on the rise after months of decline.

The counties at medium COVID-19 risk in northern Illinois are: Ogle, Lee, Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Winnebago and Boone.

The continuous enrollment program ends March 31, meaning Medicaid users must renew or risk being uninsured. In Illinois, the first notices go out in May for people with coverage due for renewal in June.

The one county in the state at “high” risk is Clay County in southeastern Illinois. None of the eight counties at “medium” risk are in northern Illinois.

IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra warned that cases of group A strep throat leading to severe complications are on the rise in Illinois, with more cases reported in 2023 than in any of the past five years.

As of Thursday night, 921 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 113 patients were in the ICU and 41 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators

Two of the 20 counties in the state at medium COVID-19 risk are in northern Illinois: Jo Daviess and Stephenson counties in northwestern Illinois.

None of the 19 counties at medium COVID-19 risk are in northern Illinois. But new hospital admission for COVID-19 are up from a week ago.

As of Thursday night, 834 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 100 patients were in the ICU and 34 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.

The Illinois Department of Public Health announced that zero counties are considered at “high” risk for COVID-19, down from three a week ago. An additional 20 counties are at “medium” risk, down from 25 last week.

The U.S. is poised to make COVID-19 vaccinations more like a yearly flu shot, a major shift in strategy despite a long list of questions about how to best protect against a still rapidly mutating virus.

The proposal comes as boosters have become a hard sell. While more than 80% of the U.S. population has had at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, only 16% of those eligible have received the latest boosters authorized in August.