The CDC says that 90 counties in Illinois are at high or medium levels for COVID-19 transmissions. Two medical experts talked about the new Omicron boosters.

The omicron surge is continuing to put a strain on hospitals and healthcare workers. We were joined by three frontline healthcare workers to discuss morale and experiences among healthcare workers during the pandemic. 

With COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations spiking around the country, changing guidance on isolation and testing, and schools restarting for the spring semester, we decided to dive into the best ways to stay safe as the omicron variant spreads. To help us understand more about best testing practices, omicron transmission, and the CDC’s latest guidelines, we were joined by two virologists. 

School districts are again having to make tough decisions on how to conduct school.  Last week, the Illinois Department of Public Health announced that they and the Illinois State Board of Education would align with the CDC’s updated guidance on quarantine times and isolation periods. To talk about it, we were joined by education reporters from around the state.

As the New Year approaches, things are starting to seem like a repeat of another year we’d all hoped was past us: 2020. To talk about what the omicron variant could mean for the holiday season, we were joined by a correspondent from NPR's Science Desk and an investigative reporter from the Chicago Tribune.