Recent spike in COVID positivity rate has experts concerned
CHICAGO (CBS) -- It's been a while since we've talked about the COVID-19 positivity rate in Chicago. However, this caught our eye -- a spike in the curve.
The rate now 5.8 percent. That's the highest it's been in months. We wanted to know what's behind the jump. We've sent our Sabrina Franza to find out and says doctors are concerned.
That number seems jarring, experts say, because it is.
The City of Chicago says because public schools have been on spring break and less tests have been administered. That could inflate the positivity percentage.
We weren't so sure about that -- so we dug deeper.
The COVID positivity rate in Chicago is 5.8 percent. For perspective, the last time that happened was on December 14 and January 24 -- before and after the Omicron spike.
"This is really what happens when we take away some of these measures like masking."
Since that spike -- masks became optional pretty much everywhere.
During Sabrina's flight back from O'Hare, masks were optional on her United flight.
barely anyone around her was wearing them. The flight crew was split.
"I'm concerned now that when everyone gets back from having travelled, having gathered, when were back to our normal testing numbers those rates will continue to rise."
Dr Allison Bartlett is an associate professor of pediatric infectious diseases at Comer Children's Hospital-- she says we're in a data void right now.
The daily testing average is down 56 percent from a week ago. That positivity rate could be off because of less testing during spring break -- but also could be higher than 5.8 percent.
She says because at home tests aren't recorded with the city or the state.
"We really have no idea," Bartlett said.
hospitalization numbers are down. The current daily average is just over four people daily.
in early January, that number hit 248.
But the way things are going, experts aren't sure it'll stay that way.
"Which isn't surprising because it lags a little bit behind the rate of overall test positivity."
In the meantime, the City of Chicago still rates its risk level as green, or low. The rate of vaccination city wide has also slowed. 68.8 percent of eligible people city wide are fully vaccinated.