CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — The Omicron variant has not yet been detected in Chicago but Mayor Lori Lightfoot said her administration is preparing for it.
In a rare Sunday press conference, Lightfoot said the city is expanding its in-home vaccination program to seven days a week. It's one of several fronts against COVID-19 and the Omicron variant.
"It's only a matter of time that our surveillance sees it. It's all around us, in Michigan, in Minnesota. It first was detected in the United States in California. It's coming here and we've got to be ready," Lightfoot said.
Another part of the preparation is doubling the number of samples tested for the variant.
Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said their investigations have found more unvaccinated people getting COVID-19, breakthrough cases among the fully-vaccinated as well as spread at gatherings.
"We have gotten examples of people who've gotten a COVID test but were waiting for the results and went to Thanksgiving gatherings anyway," Arwady said.
She said they've doubled the number of samples tested for the variant.
Omicron has been found in 16 states and is twice as contagious as previous variants, Arwady added.






