Coronavirus in Illinois updates: Here’s what’s happening Tuesday with COVID-19 in the Chicago area

Illinois health officials on Monday announced 5,059 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 79 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 984,880 and the statewide death toll to 16,834 since the start of the pandemic.

After the rolling weekly average of cases had been trending downward since early December, it has now been headed back up in the last week. And the statewide case positivity rate reached an average of 8.6% for week ending Sunday, an increase of 1.2 percentage points over the last week and the highest it’s been since the week ending Dec. 14. The case positivity rate dipped as low as 6.8% for the week ending Christmas Day.

Meanwhile, Cook County Department of Public Health website that collected information for potential COVID vaccine distribution raised confusion Monday as the department twice changed its guidance about who was eligible to use the site.

The back-and-forth came amid a slower-than-expected national rollout of the vaccine that has left many people anxious for information.

Also Monday, Chicago Teachers Union members who refused to return to classrooms said they’re worried about losing their jobs, but they believe that reopening schools is a greater risk.

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Here’s what’s happening Tuesday with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:

7:03 a.m.: Chicago officials to give update on vaccination efforts as county officials announce funding for food delivery for vulnerable during pandemic

Chicago officials Tuesday morning were scheduled to give an update on Chicago’s vaccination efforts, as Cook County officials announce details of a program to help deliver food to people facing homelessness during the coronavirus pandemic.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot and city Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady were scheduled to brief the public and reporters Tuesday morning about the progress of COVID-19 vaccination efforts in Chicago, according to the mayor’s office.

Meanwhile, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Betty Bogg, the executive director of nonprofit Connections for the Homeless, were scheduled to join local officials at a church in Evanston to announce private fundraising “for a meal delivery pilot program serving individuals and families facing homelessness,” according to Preckwinkle’s office.

“The announcement reflects a part of a larger partnership between Cook County and Connections that has led to $3.3 million from the County being infused into local landlords, restaurants, and the hospitality industry throughout the pandemic,” according to the release.

Also scheduled to speak at Preckwinkle’s news conference were a local restaurant owner and some who’s participated in the program after recently gaining housing. — Chicago Tribune staff

6:55 a.m.: State officials warn of COVID-19 vaccine scams

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul was warning Illinois residents Tuesday to watch out for scams related to the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, according to a news release.

Scammers could use the lure of allowing people to jump in line for a coronavirus vaccine to steal people’s personal information or scam them out of money, according to the release.

“People should be wary of anyone who offers the vaccine or promises priority access to the vaccine or a COVID-19 cure in exchange for money,” Raoul said in the release. “I am urging Illinois residents to be vigilant for scams related to the vaccine, which could compromise their health and personal information. People should report these scams to my office.”

Consumers “should be wary of anyone who offers the vaccine or promises priority access to the vaccine or a COVID-19 cure in exchange for money,” Raoul said in the release.

Officials urged anyone who’s contacted by someone offering a COVID-19 cure or vaccine to report the incident to the attorney general’s office and contact their local health department to see when the vaccine might be available to them.

“Currently, there is a limited amount of vaccine in Illinois and in the U.S.,” state Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said in the relesae. “Because of the limited amount of vaccine, we want people to be aware of potential scammers who may ask you to pay out of pocket to get the vaccine, who offer to give you early access to the vaccine, or offer to ship you vaccine for payment.”

The vaccine’s distribution is being overseen by Illinois public health officials, and it is currently available in limited quantities. Residents will be able to receive the vaccine only through a designated health clinic. No one can pay to put their names on a distribution list or purchase early access to the vaccine. Consumers should also be aware that Medicare or Medicaid will not call seniors or residents to proactively offer the COVID-19 vaccine. Residents should consult their health care providers or local health departments for guidance in determining when the vaccine will be available to them.

More information is available on the Illinois attorney general’s website and state Department of Health’s website. Anyone who has questions or wants to report a scam can call the attorney general’s Consumer Fraud Hotline at 1-800-386-5438 (Chicago), 1-800-243-0618 (Springfield), or 1-800-243-0607 (Carbondale), or file an online complaint. — Chicago Tribune staff

6 a.m.: University of Illinois’ COVID-19 saliva test moves closer to FDA approval, but not fast enough to meet the demand: ‘Every school district in Illinois would love to have this’

The University of Illinois has completed a critical step toward obtaining federal approval for its saliva-based COVID-19 test, but some lawmakers worry it’s taking too long to help other state colleges, school districts and companies struggling to operate amid the pandemic.

The test, developed by faculty at the state’s largest public university, was validated in a clinical study and last week submitted to regulators for emergency use authorization, a designation that enables broader distribution, according to Jay Walsh, interim vice president for economic development and innovation at the U. of I. System.

“We’re working as hard and as fast as we can on this,” Walsh said Thursday. “There are numerous challenges on rolling this out. We’ve tackled a lot of them on campus. ... We hope to be able to leverage that learning and move this quickly forward.”

But nearly six months after its unveiling, the test remains largely confined to the school’s campuses in Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield. With an emergency use request submitted, other parties will be able to use the test while the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reviews the application. It’s unclear how long that will take, but the emergency authorization is desirable because it provides liability protection among other regulatory benefits.

Read more here. —Elyssa Cherney

6 a.m.: ‘Frenzy’ in Illinois real estate means more homebuyers are putting in same-day offers. Here are 7 tips to help you prepare.

It’s a special moment: stepping into a for-sale home you know you want to make your own. Unfortunately, in the times of COVID-19, you’re more likely to share that feeling with a couple other interested homebuyers queued up to see the same house.

A surge in home sales — which began shortly after real-estate transactions resumed in late spring after the state’s initial stay-at-home order — has showed little sign of slowing as the industry approaches what used to be its winter lull.

But with high demand, low interest rates and dwindling supply that has continued to plummet, the hot market poses challenges for buyers. Statewide, inventory dropped by over one-third in a year, down from 54,604 homes a year ago to 34,486 in November, according to Illinois Realtors.

Same-day offers are becoming more common, with multiple offers coming in above the listing price, agents said. In response, they’ve developed new strategies, adapted to the rapid pace and figured out how to give clients their best shot at getting an offer accepted.

Read more here. —Ariel Cheung

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