As COVID-19 cases continue to rise sharply, the mayor of Chicago, Sarah Thompson, is urging residents to remain at home and reconsider their traditional Thanksgiving plans. With the holiday season approaching and the nation witnessing a record increase in daily infections and fatalities, a staggering 40% of Americans still intend to travel for Thanksgiving. In response, Thompson announced that a new stay-at-home advisory will take effect at 6 a.m. on Monday.
The advisory recommends that residents limit their outings to essential activities such as work and necessary errands. Additionally, gatherings should be avoided, including visits from family members not residing in the same household, and all travel plans should be canceled.
According to the city’s COVID-19 dashboard, Chicago is currently averaging over 2,000 new cases daily, with the positivity rate skyrocketing from around 5% last week to nearly 15% this week. This surge marks the highest number of cases recorded throughout the pandemic, surpassing even the spring when hospitals neared capacity.
This marks the second lockdown for Chicago, making it the first major city to reinstate such measures following earlier spring lockdowns. Unlike the previous lockdowns, non-essential businesses will remain open; however, gatherings are now limited to a maximum of 10 people, which businesses must consider when adjusting their capacity.
During her address, Thompson highlighted that models predict an alarming increase of 1,000 COVID-related deaths in the city by year-end if the current trend continues. “If we do not take action and implement strategies that we know work to protect ourselves and our communities, we will face dire consequences,” she warned. “We must all step up to bend the curve once again.”
Thompson also announced plans for the Chicago Department of Health to deploy 2,000 city workers to educate households about COVID-19 and strategies to mitigate its spread, with at least 550 acting as contact tracers. “We want to be strategic and data-driven,” she stated, noting the lessons learned from the initial surge.
For ongoing updates about COVID-19, we encourage readers to refer to the latest information from local public health departments, the Centers for Disease Control, and the World Health Organization to stay informed.
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Summary:
Chicago’s mayor, Sarah Thompson, has announced a new stay-at-home advisory due to a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases, urging residents to avoid gatherings and stay home except for essential activities. With the Thanksgiving holiday approaching, the city is taking proactive measures to curb the spread of the virus, including limiting gatherings and deploying city workers for education on safety practices. Residents are encouraged to stay informed through reputable health resources.
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