CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — On the home page of the City of Chicago's online COVID dashboard, the latest data showing the number of tests administered in the city, as well as how many of those were positive, has been removed.
That data has been replaced by the latest numbers on emergency room visits and hospital admissions due to COVID.
"The reason why we have taken [testing numbers] off the home page is that testing just doesn't mean the same thing that it used to mean, given that most people — at this point — are using home COVID tests," said City of Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady.
Arwady said hospital numbers are a better indicator of COVID spread than test results.
"This has been, actually, a very predictive indicator for us," Arwady said. "It's been one of the earliest and best ways for us to see how we're doing in terms of both severe illness [and] in terms of how hard the hospital might get it."
The health commissioner said the change reflects her priorities when releasing data to the public.
"I want to continue to make sure that the metrics we are putting out, first and foremost, are the ones that help reflect the risk," Arwady said. "When we see hospitalizations going up, that is because people are getting seriously ill, going to the hospital, where they don't have boosters — that is something we act on."
Arwady pointed out there is a link on the home page of the city's online COVID dashboard that still allows people to access the latest testing numbers in the city.
Listen to WBBM Newsradio now on Audacy!
