Afternoon Briefing: Federal health officials drop 5-day isolation time for COVID-19

Chicago Tribune
·3 min read

Good afternoon, Chicago.

Americans who test positive for COVID-19 no longer need to stay in isolation for five days, U.S. health officials announced Friday.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed its long-standing guidance, saying that people can return to work or regular activities if their symptoms are mild and improving and it’s been a day since they’ve had a fever.

Here’s what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit chicagotribune.com/latest-headlines and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices.

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Tribes from Alaska to Wisconsin will get millions of dollars for clean energy projects. Here’s how they’ll roll out

Most Americans take electricity for granted. They know the lights will come on when they flip the switch because their grid connection is secure and reliable. But the same can’t be said for Native American tribal communities, many of which are rural and have limited access to electricity, or none at all.

The Department of Energy’s Office of Indian Energy estimates that 21% of Navajo Nation homes aren’t electrified. For the Hopi Tribe, it’s 35%. And of those homes that do have electricity, 31% report monthly outages. Because these communities also have disproportionately high poverty rates, they also spend more of their earnings on energy costs. Read more here.

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Kennedy Expressway construction is about to restart, and the lane closures are coming early

This year the second phase of a three-year rehab of the highway will focus on the reversible express lanes running down the center of the highway and the large underpass near Hubbard Street downtown. The express lanes and some lanes of regular traffic are set to close during the construction season, which is starting earlier than usual because of warm temperatures expected this winter and spring. Read more here.

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3 takeaways from the Chicago Blackhawks’ 5th straight loss

You could say the Chicago Blackhawks were the picture of frustration during a 5-0 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday, but which image?

Connor Bedard punching the boards after hitting the crossbar on a power-play shot? Or Bedard banging his head on the boards? Maybe it’s Reese Johnson beating Chris Wagner in a fight, then imploring his bench, “Let’s (bleeping) go!” Read more here.

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‘The Regime’ review: ‘Veep’ meets ‘Succession,’ but make it a European dictatorship

Kate Winslet plays the ridiculous and floridly paranoid dictator of an unnamed Central European republic. She somehow seized power despite her many deficiencies and psychological instabilities, some of which stem from a dead father who lies embalmed and on display in a glass coffin. During one of her regular visits to his crypt, she flops down a bouquet of flowers: “Here, these are dead, you’re dead, lots in common, much to discuss.” Read more here.

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What to know about the latest court rulings, data and legislation on abortion in the US

More than a year and a half since the U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturned Roe v. Wade and the nationwide right to abortion, the details of what that means are still in flux. With lawsuits still pending and ballot questions on the horizon, that’s the one thing that’s not likely to change quickly. Read more here.

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