The Food and Drug Administration last week said preliminary research indicates at-home rapid tests detect omicron, but may have reduced sensitivity. The agency noted it’s still studying how the tests perform with the variant, which was first detected in late November.
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Taking a Step Back: US Colleges Returning to Online Classes
Jan 2, 2022 | Associated Press
Harvard is moving classes online for the first three weeks of the new year, with a return to campus scheduled for late January, “conditions permitting.” The University of Chicago is delaying the beginning of its new term and holding the first two weeks online.
New Year Brings More Canceled Flights for Air Travelers
Jan 2, 2022 | Associated Press
Saturday’s disruptions weren’t just due to the virus, however. Wintry weather made Chicago — where forecasts called for 9 inches of snow — the worst place in the country for travelers. More than 800 flights were scrubbed at O’Hare Airport and more than 250 at Midway Airport.
Schools Adapt for Return From Break as COVID-19 Cases Surge
Jan 2, 2022 | Associated Press
With coronavirus infections soaring, the return from schools’ winter break will be different than planned for some as administrators again tweak protocols and make real-time adjustments in response to the shifting pandemic. All are signaling a need to stay flexible.
2021 Ends as Chicago’s Deadliest Year in a Quarter Century
Jan 2, 2022 | Associated Press
Other cities have also seen an increase in the number of homicides. But Chicago, as it has in previous years, ended 2021 with more homicides than any other city in the United States, including New York and Los Angeles.
Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices, January 1, 2022 - Full Show
Jan 1, 2022 | WTTW News
A look back at some of our favorite Latino Voices stories of 2021: from the potential impact of the sweeping infrastructure law to a group helping refugee women start a new life, and more.
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices, January 1, 2022 - Full Show
Jan 1, 2022 | WTTW News
A look back at some of our favorite Black Voices stories of 2021— from a look at how tech leaves marginalized people behind, to the Chicago Sky’s history-making WNBA Championship — and so much in between.
The Week in Review: Another Year Marked By COVID, Political Tensions
Dec 31, 2021 | Marissa Nelson
From the shocking events of Jan. 6 to COVID’s dip and surge, a changing of the guard in Springfield, to high crime rates and political battles in City Council. We recap the year’s biggest stories.
2021 Notebook: the US Right to Abortion Is in Peril
Dec 31, 2021 | Associated Press
As 2021 comes to a close, Roe v. Wade — the historic 1973 Supreme Court ruling establishing a nationwide right to abortion — is imperiled as never before.
2021 Notebook: Climate Change, Weather Crises and What Next
Dec 31, 2021 | Associated Press
Melting glaciers, deadly floods in Germany, record high summer temperatures in generally mild Oregon, more urgent pleas for help from Pacific island nations. With growing urgency, the effects of climate change were felt around the world in 2021.
2021 Notebook: Redrawing the Conversation About Race
Dec 31, 2021 | Associated Press
After 2020 became a year of racial reckoning with the public killing of George Floyd and the protests of injustices against Black people, 2021 offered what can best be described as a follow-up year — a continuation of some familiar story threads with other new ones emerging.
Almost 300 New Statutes Take Effect Saturday
Dec 30, 2021 | Amanda Vinicky
Some 300 new laws will take effect in Illinois in the new year. They range from changing how gun licenses are processed — to regulating pet sales.
New Healthcare Laws Expand Infertility Treatment Coverage, Create Unused Medicine Repository
Dec 30, 2021 | Amanda Vinicky
A series of new laws could make it easier for consumers to comparison shop for prescriptions, make sure unused medicine doesn’t go to waste, and expand coverage of fertility treatment.
December 30, 2021 - Full Show
Dec 30, 2021 | WTTW News
The latest on testing snafus and rising COVID cases. One-on-one with CPS CEO on plans to bring kids safely back to school. New laws on the books for 2022. And the Bears get ready to tackle the Giants.
Bears Face Giants in Penultimate Game, Look to End Poor Season on a High
Dec 30, 2021 | Paul Caine
The Bears have a chance to finish a lost season on a high note, starting with the last place New York Giants who visit Soldier Field this Sunday. But there are questions as to who will play quarterback, and then the bigger picture questions as to where exactly the organization is headed as fans demand a major overhaul.
COVID Takes Deadly Toll on Dialysis Patients: ProPublica Illinois
Dec 30, 2021 | Marc Vitali
A new report from ProPublica Illinois details the catastrophic loss of dialysis patients during the pandemic. Reporter Duaa Eldeib joins “Chicago Tonight” to discuss her findings
Illinois Reports 30,386 New COVID Cases Thursday
Dec 30, 2021 | Blair Paddock
More than 5,600 people are hospitalized with COVID. And COVID patients are occupying 34% of the state’s ICU beds.
Chicago Public Schools CEO on COVID Testing, Protocols and More
Dec 30, 2021 | Acacia Hernandez
Chicago Public Schools distributed over 150 thousand PCR tests Tuesday at more than 300 schools in communities hardest hit by the pandemic. Students who test positive will be asked to stay home.
State Legislature Suspends Session Due to COVID
Dec 30, 2021 | Amanda Vinicky
The General Assembly canceled its Jan. 4 and 6 session dates, and will likely call the session off the following week as well “amid the ongoing global pandemic.”
A Crash Course in Illinois’ New Education Laws
Dec 29, 2021 | Amanda Vinicky
Because of the pandemic, in 2020 the legislature was thrown a bit off course, so there weren't a ton of laws that took effect at the start of 2021. Not so for 2022. Dozens of measures will kick in starting Saturday.
December 29, 2021 - Full Show
Dec 29, 2021 | WTTW News
New laws take effect at the start of the new year. One-on-one with the city's public health commissioner. A report on public transit ridership during the pandemic. Our Spotlight Politics and more.
John Madden, Hall of Fame Coach and Broadcaster, Dies at 85
Dec 29, 2021 | Associated Press
Madden gained fame in a decade-long stint as the coach of the renegade Oakland Raiders, making it to seven AFC title games and winning the Super Bowl following the 1976 season. He compiled a 103-32-7 regular-season record, and his .759 winning percentage is the best among NFL coaches with more than 100 games.
Spotlight Politics: CDC Director Explains Altered Isolation Guidelines
Dec 29, 2021 | Marissa Nelson
COVID-19 is surging across the country and here in Illinois as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention faces criticisms for changing its isolation guidelines. Our Spotlight Politics team has that and more.
How COVID-19 Has Impacted CTA Ridership
Dec 29, 2021 | Blair Paddock
In Chicago, neighborhoods with higher shares of residents of color retained far more ridership than predominantly white communities—and that trend was similar in other cities.
Chicago’s Top Doctor On How to Prepare for a Winter COVID-19 Surge
Dec 29, 2021 | Leslie Hurtado
Officials are urging the public to get vaccinated and get tested — but many people are reporting challenges in finding tests.
New COVID-19 Cases in US Soar to Highest Levels on Record
Dec 29, 2021 | Associated Press
The fast-spreading mutant version of the virus has cast a pall over Christmas and New Year’s, forcing communities to scale back or call off their festivities just weeks after it seemed as if Americans were about to enjoy an almost normal holiday season.