Media Coverage

Both Dr. Michael Bauer, the medical director at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital, and Dr. Ninad Dixit, the chief medical officer for Vista Health System in Waukegan, said in emails vaccinating children is a key to limiting the spread of COVID-19.

Northwestern announced the opening of its Canning Thoracic Institute on Thursday — named for John and Rita Canning, who donated $20 million to get the institute off the ground. John Canning is the chairman and founder of private equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners.

“Preventing a heart attack, stroke or heart failure is vital, yet preventing unexpected sudden death as the first manifestation of cardiovascular disease is clearly a priority,” said lead author Dr. Sadiya Khan, an assistant professor in the cardiology division at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.

The last time those numbers were that high was back on September 20. As CBS 2’s Jim Williams reported, from doctors at Northwestern Memorial Hospital said they’re concerned. That’s because a sizable number of people are not vaccinated. The cold weather is here and Thanksgiving dinners are a week are away.

“That’s a signature or pattern which could be consistent with a low-level, but persistent, infection in the long-COVID syndrome patient,” says Dr. Igor Koralnik at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine.

“Yes, sleep deprivation—even short term—can result in insulin and glucose imbalances,” says Kuljeet (Kelly) Gill, M.D., a sleep medicine specialist at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital. Lack of sleep can also affect how balanced cortisol and your thyroid hormones are.

Dr. Sadiya Khan, an epidemiologist at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, agreed. “I remain hopeful with the approval of vaccines for 5- to 11-year-olds that we are heading into a safer holiday season than last year,” she said.

You should especially plan for a booster shot if you want to be indoors with other people during the winter months, or travel over the holidays, says Dr. Sadiya Khan, assistant professor of medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

For Dr. Marc Sala and his wife, Dr. Joanne Claveria, of Park Ridge, making an appointment for their 5-year-old son’s COVID-19 vaccine was a “cut and dry decision.” “As doctors, we have seen a lot of the fallout of COVID for children,” said Sala, a pulmonologist who practices at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

Dr. Irfan Hafiz, an infectious disease specialist and chief medical officer of Northwestern Medicine’s McHenry, Huntley and Woodstock hospitals, discusses both Pfizer and Merck’s pills to treat COVID-19 and more.