COVID-19 Weekend Update: 1/1-1/3

By Sandra Folarin and Jeffrey Softcheck, MBA

As we kick off the New Year, positivity rates in Illinois have increased slightly. Some of this is due to decreased testing, as all regions are down considerably from three weeks ago.

As of yesterday, January 2nd, 61,987 tests were logged, with zero saliva tests from UIUC over the past two weeks due to winter break, and only 5,590 antigen tests. 4,762 newly confirmed or probable cases were reported, for a daily case positivity rate of 7.68%. This is up 21.6% from last Saturday. Since testing has dipped significantly, however, it is hard to decipher the real increase at this time.

We will continue to watch for all the key metrics - bed utilization, positivity rates, and death - in the first few weeks of 2021, after traveling and holiday gatherings are accounted for. January to March is also often a challenging time for bed capacity at Illinois hospitals, so it’s important to keep up the good work and continue to protect yourselves and your neighbors.

Stay safe. Stay vigilant. Stay masked.