“We saw more than 600 new cases in the suburb of Cook, just in our jurisdiction,” said Dr. Rachel Rubin. “And that means that we are at the beginning of another wave.”
Now, county health officials have said that the increase in cases could translate into new restrictions imposed if those numbers do not decrease.
According to recent data, the most significant increase in cases occurs in the age group of 20 and 30 years, and the rate of positivity has almost doubled in relation to the previous weeks.
“Our overall rate of positivity, I think, is now about five, we’ve dropped to three and that’s a big problem,” said Dr. Rubin.
Despite the expansion of ongoing vaccination efforts, the growing number of cases has made county officials contemplating what needs to be done.
RELATED: Allergies or COVID: How to Know the Difference
“We may very well have to suppress in a matter of days. I am not promising this in one way or another, ”said Rubin. “We need to assess exactly what types of activities and movements are really driving this increase.”
This may mean bringing restrictions back to business.
“We need to continue to be safe and these are really the messages and if we need to repress more of our [mitigation], you know, step back a bit in indoor activities and restaurants and fitness centers and things like that – hopefully it doesn’t get to the point where we might need to do that, “added Dr. Rubin.
Evanston resident Archie Ong saw his city undergo so many changes in the past year
“It will be a major setback, obviously, many restaurants here are experiencing difficulties,” said Ong. “Several restaurants have closed, so I hope, I hope that doesn’t happen.”
RELATED: COVID Vaccine: Read These Tips Before Getting Your Injection
He and his family still stay home most of the time and expect others, who may think the worst is over, to do the same.
“People are being vaccinated and thinking it is safe. I think it might be safe, but at the same time I think we shouldn’t really relax that much,” added Ong.
For now, health officials recommend keeping things outdoors while continuing to mask and keep your distance.
Copyright © 2021 WLS-TV. All rights reserved.