Health experts urge vaccinations as respiratory illnesses begin to rise across Chicago area
Health officials in Chicago are urging residents to get flu and COVID-19 vaccinations as respiratory illness cases begin to rise with the change of seasons. Experts emphasize the importance of early vaccination to mitigate the impact of the upcoming winter season.
Why it matters
Public health initiatives are critical for managing hospital capacity and preventing severe outcomes during peak respiratory virus seasons.
CHICAGO (WLS) -- As temperatures cool and children return to school, health experts say respiratory illnesses are beginning to increase across the Chicago area, prompting renewed calls for flu and COVID-19 vaccinations ahead of the fall and winter seasons.
Health care providers throughout Chicagoland are preparing for what they expect could be a busy flu season. According to doctors at Rush Hospital, activity from influenza, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, remains low, but other respiratory viruses are already circulating as the seasons change.
"Not as much flu and COVID so far, but a lot of your more common respiratory viruses, rhinovirus, enteroviruses, and kids are coming in with a lot of cough, runny nose congestion and maybe some fevers with it," said Dr. Scott Heinrich, an emergency room doctor at Rush Hospital.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in