CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Many local governments across the country are enacting new safety protocols amid new concerns over the spread of COVID-19. Cook County is now on the list of places where the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people wear masks indoors.
The CDC is now recommending that people wear face masks indoors regardless of vaccination status in places where doctors detect a "substantial" amount of community spread of COVID-19.
That now includes Cook County, along with DuPage, McHenry, and Will counties in the Chicago area.
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The CDC defines substantial community transmission as being between 50 and 99 cases per 100,000 people. Cook County is at 52 cases per 100,000 residents. DuPage is at 59, McHenry is at 58, and Will is at 73.
According to the data, Kane and Lake counties are the only counties in the Chicago-area to be at "moderate level" of transmission, but they are close to the "substantial" level. Kane is reporting about 47 cases per 100,000 residents, and Lake is at 42.
Cook County health officials said it will issue new mask guidance on Friday; adding that the county "must contain [COVID-19] through both vaccinations and prevention measures such as mask wearing indoors and in crowded outdoor settings."
Chicago officials anticipate crossing the "substantial" threshold soon.
"Sitting at 185 average cases per day and increasing, I do anticipate we will be moving very shortly into that substantial risk category," Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said Thursday during a Facebook Live Q and A.
"This is related to the Delta variant and the fact that it is here and it is spreading. And unfortunately, although Chicago is doing better than the great majority of the state and the great majority of the country, we are seeing those increases...I wouldn’t be surprised if by early next week we’re making some formal announcements about that [potential mask mandate].”
The CDC also stated Tuesday that fully vaccinated people also "might choose to mask regardless of the level of transmission, particularly if they or someone in their household is immunocompromised or at increased risk for severe disease, or if someone in their household is unvaccinated."
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The Illinois Department of Public Health announced Tuesday that it is "fully adopting" the CDC's updated guidance. This includes following the CDC's new recommendations for K-12 schools, recommending universal masking indoors among teachers, staff, students and visitors to schools, regardless of vaccination status.
"While data continues to show the effectiveness of the three COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized in the U.S., including against the Delta variant, we are still seeing the virus rapidly spread among the unvaccinated," IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said in a statement.
"The risk is greater for everyone if we do not stop the ongoing spread of the virus and the Delta variant. We know masking can help prevent transmission of COVID-19 and its variants. Until more people are vaccinated, we join CDC in recommending everyone, regardless of vaccination status, wear a mask indoors in areas of substantial and high transmissions, and in K-12 schools."
Governor Pritzker is mandating masks at all State of Illinois buildings, but has yet to reinstate a statewide mask mandate.
“Vaccines work, but we cannot promise those protections for every single future variant if we allow this virus to spread and mutate unchecked in our communities,” Pritzker said in a statement. “With all the misinformation out there, I encourage all eligible Illinoisans who haven’t been vaccinated yet to talk to their doctors to alleviate any of their fears.”
Meanwhile, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle is requiring masks at all county facilities.