COVID-19 Updates
August 30, 2021
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COVID-19 Vaccine Update
Getting vaccinated is safe, effective and will help us beat COVID-19. We're currently vaccinating anyone 12 and older in Illinois and Wisconsin.
Booster shot scheduling: If you're immunocompromised and eligible for a third shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, schedule a vaccination appointment in LiveWell or contact your provider and ask them to schedule an appointment for you. See our FAQ for details on eligibility.
Symptom checker
If you think you've been exposed to COVID-19 or are unsure about symptoms you’re experiencing, our symptom checker can answer your questions and help you find out what to do next. You can also call 866‑443‑2584.
COVID-19 Testing
Call 866-443-2584 to schedule a COVID-19 test.
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A Pastoral Message Regarding COVID Vaccine and Religious Exemption
Advocate Aurora Health has mandated vaccination for COVID as a condition for employment for our Team Members and for our volunteers, vendors, and students. We understand this to be a critical part of our calling to help all people live well and to ensure the safety of our patients, team members and communities.
We have been in dialogue with other faith-based health systems around the country about this sensitive issue and have affirmed a Pastoral Note on COVID Vaccination and Religious Exemption that calls people of faith to a position of love, compassion and care of neighbor. The note affirms that “accepting a vaccine—especially for those in the healing professions—is the essence of gratitude for the capacity God has given people to be healing partners. There is an even higher duty to prevent needless illness and suffering than to provide healing after the fact. What greater offense could be imagined than to avoid preventing a highly predictable burden of disease, much less a needlessly lost life? No historic religious support exists for breaking such trust—especially for those blessed to be among the healing professions. Religion is not just about the negative. In this particular pandemic moment, religion is about the positive, about what we should be doing and why.”
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Advocate Aurora Health Returns to Limited Visitor Guidelines Policy
Our visitor policy is part of our Safe Care Promise and ensures patients have the support they need from loved ones while helping reduce the spread of COVID-19. Our team members are here to help you get the care you need and navigate special circumstances. Stop at the screening station at the location you visit for more information.
When preparing for your visit, please take note of the following:
- Masks are required inside our facilities, regardless of vaccination status.
- Visitors must be 18 years old or older. Exceptions include end-of-life visitation and situations in which a woman is in labor and the child’s father is younger than 18.
- Behavioral Health visitor guidelines are at the discretion of each location.
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How to prepare to send kids back-to-school amid rise in COVID cases
As students prepare to head back to the classroom, parents and school officials may be wondering how to protect kids as COVID cases increase with the spread of the delta variant.
Sapp said measures implemented last year to keep kids safe in school, like masking, social distancing, and hand washing, can keep kids from spreading or getting COVID.
If a child is not feeling well or having any potential COVID symptoms, keep them home, Sapp said. He said to monitor their symptoms and if needed take them into their physician and get a COVID test.
He said while the Delta variant does not appear to be affecting children as severely as adults, it does appear to impact kids more than COVID did at first.
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COVID-19 booster shot may be available by late September
As the highly contagious Delta variant continues to sweep through the country, the Biden administration announced Wednesday morning that a COVID-19 booster shot may be available by September 20.
The booster shot will be offered to:
- people with compromised immune systems,
- those 65 and older,
- individuals in chronic-care facilities,
- health care workers
- people who were vaccinated first, according to health authorities. The idea is to maximize the protection the vaccine offers and prolong its durability.
People who have received both of their Pfizer and Moderna vaccines can receive the booster eight months after their last dose. If you do need the booster, it is recommended, but not essential, to receive the same brand of vaccine.
If you're eligible for a booster shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, schedule a vaccination appointment in LiveWell or contact your provider and ask them to schedule an appointment for you. See our FAQ for details on eligibility. |
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CDC update: Pregnant women should get the COVID-19 vaccine
Pregnant women should get vaccinated against COVID-19, according to a new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This recommendation applies to people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now or might become pregnant in the future.
“Almost all cases of severe illness and death from COVID-19 are preventable by vaccine. It’s important for new moms and moms-to-be to protect both themselves and their babies,” said Dr. Robert Citronberg, executive medical director of infectious disease and prevention for Advocate Aurora Health.
This recommendation is aligned with other professional medical organizations dedicated to pregnant people, like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine. The CDC also recommends COVID-19 vaccines if you’re the partner of someone who is pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant or may be pregnant in the future.
There is a growing body of evidence about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy, the CDC said, and there is currently no evidence that any vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines, cause fertility problems in women or men.
Pregnant and recently-pregnant people are at a higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19 when compared to non-pregnant people, according to the CDC, and the benefits of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine outweigh any known or potential risks of vaccination during pregnancy.
“It’s so important for pregnant people to stay healthy, and getting vaccinated is the way for them to do that for themselves, their families and their communities,” Dr. Citronberg said.
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Become a Vaccine Champion!
Being a good neighbor means we help and support each other. We listen, we trade stories and share information – we're here for each other. That’s what our Neighbor-to-Neighbor Vaccine Champions do. They listen and they share reliable information at the grassroots level to help community members make educated decisions about getting a COVID-19 vaccination.
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The COVID-19 Resource Center in English and Spanish offers information on COVID-19 testing, visitor guidelines, COVID-19 Virtual Care Program, and more. |
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The LiveWell app makes it easy for families to manage their health all in one place. |
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Anyone experiencing COVID 19 symptoms or who believes they have been exposed, should visit our Symptom Checker in English or Spanish or call our hotline at 866-443-2584 both available 24/7 to find out what to do next. |
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FEMA Provides Funeral Assistance
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought overwhelming grief to many families. FEMA's mission is to help people before, during and after disasters. FEMA is dedicated to helping ease some of the financial stress and burden caused by the virus.
FEMA is providing financial assistance for COVID-19 related funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020.
FEMA is providing financial assistance for funeral expenses incurred after Jan. 20, 2020 for deaths related to COVID-19 to help ease some of the financial stress and burden caused by the pandemic.
To apply, call the COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Line Number at 844-684-6333 | TTY: 800-462-7585, Monday - Friday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central Time
"At FEMA, our mission is to help people before, during and after disasters," said Acting FEMA Administrator Bob Fenton. “The COVID-19 pandemic has caused immense grief for so many people. Although we cannot change what has happened, we affirm our commitment to help with funeral and burial expenses that many families did not anticipate."
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Transportation Assistance to COVID-19 Vaccine Appointments Available
Cook County Department of Public Health announces "Destination: Vaccination" program to provide free rides to and from vaccination sites. The program will enable individuals with limited mobility or transportation issues to easily get vaccinated, removing a key barrier for many residents. Call 833-308-1988 to schedule a ride or learn more.
Wisconsin Dept. of Health Services is offering same-day rides to COVID-19 vaccine appointments. You can schedule a ride as soon as you confirm you have an appointment, even if it is the same day. Call 866-907-1493 (TTY 711) with the following information ready: Your ForwardHealth ID (found on your ForwardHealth card), and the address of where you will get your vaccine.
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Helpful information from the CDC
To protect yourself from the delta variant and prevent spreading it to others, the CDC recommends wearing a mask indoors in public if you’re in an area of substantial or high transmission. Find answers to common questions about COVID-19 in our symptom checker, and follow CDC guidelines to help keep you and your family safe and healthy.
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We Want to Hear From You!
We hope you find this update helpful as you promote the health of your members and community. Please contact Cindy Novak if you have questions or topics you'd like us to address. Thank you |
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