Just in time for the new year, a new omicron strain is spreading fast in parts of the U.S. CBS 2’s Noel Brennan learned that doctors in Illinois are concerned about this new coronavirus variant.

Meanwhile just in time for the new year A new Omicron strain is spreading fast In parts of the country CBS 2's Noel Britton is in The Newsroom and no Doctors here are concerned about this New variant well Erica all eyes are on The northeast right now this new strain Already accounts for the majority of new Cases there and numbers in our region Have doubled in the last week The name may be new Xpv15 but this covid variant spreads in A familiar way we've seen the prevalence Increasing in the U.S epidemiologists Like uic's Dr Katrine Wallace already Know this Omicron strain well what is This new variant and why should we be Paying attention to it Xbb15 seems to have a ability to evade Our immune defenses but it also has an Additional mutation that makes it more Capable to bind to ourselves the CDC Estimates the new variant makes up about 40 percent of new cases in the U.S and About 75 percent of cases in the Northeast at what point does it get your Alarm bells ringing when you're looking At a new variant in epidemiology we look At the doubling time in the prevalence To see how fast a variant is spreading And this one went from 20 last week to About 40 percent this week in the U.S in Illinois and surrounding states the new Strain accounts for six percent of cases

And that percentage doubled in a week my Guess is that we will see the same Growth here the comforting news if you Ask Dr Wallace is that the updated Vaccines Target Omicron some data came Out last week in the New England Journal Of Medicine showing that this back Bivalent booster Significantly Increases the antibodies against Specifically xpv and some other variants And with a variance with a new name the Advice Remains the Same getting your Bivalent booster is probably the best Thing you can do to protect yourself and Protect your community Dr Wallace points out there are a lot of Viruses circulating right now so it's Hard to tell what you've got based on The symptoms alone best bet is to stay Home if you're feeling sick because a Mild illness for you of course could be A hospitalization for someone else live In The Newsroom Noel Brennan CBS 2 News Noel thank you

Chicago News Sports Events Culture

One of the biggest draws to the Windy City are its storied sports teams. These include the Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks. Historically, the Chicago sports scene has been a bastion of the unbridled. The sports mecca has won two Stanley Cups in the past eight years, as well as numerous championships in other sports. Aside from its propensity for winning, the city also boasts a plethora of culturally rich neighborhoods, as well as several major museums and a thriving arts district. In fact, Chicago has the highest percentage of population with a college degree of any large city in the country.

With the recent influx of tech workers and retirees to the Windy City, the local economy is on the rebound. That is not to say that the area hasn’t had its share of challenges in the past. However, its residents seem to have a knack for learning from past mistakes, as illustrated by its current crop of high-flying athletes and talented newcomers. As such, the city is poised for a second golden age in the ensuing years.

Sports have also played a significant role in bringing the masses together. As an example, the Boston Bruins recently visited local children’s hospitals for their annual Halloween festivities. This was the city’s first time ever to hold such a ceremony, and the sight of the assembled masses helped a lot in the healing department. Similarly, the Bears have forged many partnerships with their counterparts from the city’s other major league, the White Sox.