Coronavirus Latest: Daily updates from NBC 5

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In the Know: Your Daily Coronavirus Update It's Saturday, Sep. 3rd Here are today's top stories. 1 Chicago's Top Doctor Reveals Which COVID Symptoms She Experienced Chicago's top doctor became the latest high-profile COVID case to hit the Chicago area last week and on Tuesday she described what her experience was like. Having contracted the virus for the first time last week, Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said she believed she got sick during a family vacation. Upon her return, she immediately began testing – and then last Tuesday, the symptoms began. Read More → 2 What Is Paxlovid Mouth and Why Do Some Get It? Chicago's Top Doc Explains Paxlovid has been in headlines recently as the anti-viral COVID treatment has been used in some high-profile cases, including President Joe Biden, and while the drug has been associated with rare cases of what's known as "COVID rebound," some who received it have also noted another unusual side effect being referred to as "Paxlovid mouth." According to Rush University Medical Center, "Paxlovid mouth" is often used to refer to a metallic or bitter taste in the mouth shortly after taking the drug. Shivanjali Shankaran, MD, an infectious disease specialist at RUSH, said about 5.6% of people who took Paxlovid in a study reported changes in the taste of their mouth, or what she called "dysgeusia." Read More → 3 Will There Be a Fall or Winter Surge? Chicago's Top Doc Reveals What Concerns Her Most Are Chicago-area health officials bracing for another fall or winter COVID surge? Chicago's top doctor said she's watching one thing in the coming months that could lead to a potential shift. In each of the last two winters, COVID cases and hospitalizations have dramatically spiked in the state of Illinois, with last winter seeing the switch from the delta variant to the more contagious omicron variant that has since spawned even more contagious subvariants now making up a majority of cases. Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady warned Thursday that if uptake on a new booster vaccine designed to target the omicron strain specifically is slow, then the city could potentially face a third consecutive year of surging cases. Read More → 4 IDPH Urges Community to Get Vaccinated as Updated COVID Booster Prepares for Roll Out Illinois residents may be able to get their hands on an extra COVID booster within the next couple of days, and health officials are encouraging those who are eligible to act fast. The new vaccine, which is formulated to fight back against omicron variants of the disease, garnered the approval of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration just in time for the fall. "Once the updated booster shots become available next week, I urge everyone in Illinois who is eligible to take advantage of the opportunity to get fully protected before we enter the fall season," IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said in statement Friday. "These new bivalent vaccines are designed to offer extra protection against the omicron variants which are now the dominant strain of the virus. Getting up to date now is especially important for those who are at risk of serious outcomes, as the updated vaccines offer protection from hospitalization and even death." Read More → 5 Coronavirus in Illinois: 26K New Cases, 70 Deaths Reported in Last Week Illinois health officials reported 26,127 new COVID-19 cases over the past week, along with 70 additional deaths, marking a slight increase in cases from a week prior, as 30 counties within the state remain at a "high" community level for COVID-19. The previous week, Illinois reported 24,297 new cases and 82 deaths. The week before that, 25,084 new cases and 56 deaths were reported. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cleared Thursday reformulated vaccines that target the latest omicron subvariants, BA.4 and BA.5, for the fall, making it possible for many people to get an extra booster within days. Read More → 6 Omicron-Specific Booster Critical to Avoiding Fall Surge, Chicago's Top Doc Says In each of the last two winters, COVID cases and hospitalizations have dramatically spiked in the state of Illinois, and Chicago's top doctor is warning that if uptake on a new booster vaccine is slow, then the city could potentially face a third consecutive year of surging cases. Dr. Allison Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, pointed to the trends of the last two years when discussing the city's preparations for the fall and winter, and she says changes in mitigating habits on the part of residents could potentially pave the way for another increase in cases later this year. "In both of the last two winters we've had notable COVID surges during respiratory virus season," she said. "We also as people have relaxed against COVID, and there's less mask wearing broadly." 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