New York Hospital Exec Will Lead Cook County Health
As the region battles COVID-19, new Cook County Health CEO Israel Rocha Jr. will face immediate challenges. Chief among them: shoring up finances.
Environment & Public Health
Waste, sustainability, climate change and environmental justice. WBEZ covers our surroundings and the way we coexist with them.
![]()
![]()
CDC Reduces Consecutive Minutes Of COVID-19 Exposure Needed To Be A ‘Close Contact’
Health officials used to advise going into quarantine and being tested for the coronavirus if you were near an infected person for 15 minutes. Now the rule is a total of 15 minutes during one day.
![]()
Suburban Restaurants, Bars Brace For New Restrictions On Indoor Services Starting Friday
Gov. JB Prtizker is clamping down on restaurants and bars in several suburban counties in response to rising positivity rates.
![]()
Studies Point To Big Drop In COVID-19 Death Rates
More hospitalized patients are surviving than early in the pandemic. Improved treatments make a big difference, but so does flattening the curve to keep hospitals from overfilling, researchers say.
![]()
‘New Wave’ Of COVID-19 Cases In Illinois: Gov. JB Pritzker
Gov. JB Pritzker says every region of the state is headed in the wrong direction.
![]()
Chicago’s Auburn Gresham Neighborhood Begins Multi-Million Dollar Urban Agriculture Plan
An urban agriculture and green energy development project on Chicago’s South Side is underway.
![]()
Moving? 6 Questions To Ask About Flood Risk In A Changing Climate
You’re looking for a new place to live. You know that fires and floods might be a problem, especially with climate change, but how much do you really know about your risk?
![]()
Chicago Was One Stop In An Illegal Flying Squirrel Trafficking Ring
A Florida wildlife protection agency says it has broken up a trafficking ring that illegally trapped squirrels and shipped them to Asia.
![]()
Rebranding Chicago For A Post-Pandemic World? The City Says It’s About Being Creative.
The city’s chief marketing officer breaks down his plans for rebranding Chicago.
![]()
Mayor Lightfoot Says Chicago Is In A ‘Second Surge’ As Governor Warns Of New Restrictions
DuPage, Will and Kane counties could see bar and restaurant closures as cases surge across the state. Chicago’s mayor is telling Chicagoans to resist “COVID fatigue.“
