Chicago Department of Public Health Weekly Media Brief, 09/26/2025

Upcoming Mpox Vaccination Clinics

If you're at risk of mpox, now is a critical time to get vaccinated. Since June there have been 92 new mpox cases in Chicago. During the same time period in 2023 and 2024 we saw 50 and 32 cases, respectively.

While a majority of the reported cases are among men on the North and Far North Sides of the city, those new cases have included residents of the South and West Sides as well.

Nearly half (49 percent) of these 92 cases have been in people who were unvaccinated. Another 12 percent were partially (one of two shots) vaccinated.

This recent surge has primarily affected sexually active gay, bisexual, and same-gender-loving men, who are encouraged to add the mpox vaccine to their fall health routine-along with flu and COVID shots-at one of the many convenient clinics across the city.

CDPH is collaborating with community partners, including Center on Halsted, to offer free vaccine clinics. All events are open to the public and are an excellent opportunity to get vaccinated against mpox as well as flu and COVID.

Upcoming Vaccination Clinics (10 am-1 pm):

• Center on Halsted (3656 N. Halsted): Sept. 26
• Center on Cottage Grove (6323 S. Cottage Grove): Sept. 22, Oct. 22, Oct. 23

Additional clinics are being planned and the mpox vaccine is available at CDPH's Sexual Health Clinics. You can find more information on where to get vaccinated at the CDPH Mpox Vaccine Finder.

CDPH Endorses 2025-'26 Vaccine Guidance

Earlier this week, the Illinois Department of Public Health released evidence-based COVID-19, flu, and RSV vaccine guidance for Illinois residents. CDPH endorses these recommendationsand will be providing life-saving vaccines for Chicago residents at no cost through our standing Immunization Clinics, as well as various pop-up vaccination events throughout the City, including one each at all 7 of Chicago's City Colleges.

CDPH currently has updated seasonal flu vaccines for anyone 6 months and older at immunization clinic sites. CDPH will begin COVID-19 vaccination at immunization clinic sites starting Monday, September 29 for everyone 12 years and older. CDPH will soon start vaccinating children 6 months to 11 years old once supply for this age group is available at CDPH Immunization clinics.

For more information on vaccine recommendations, see the IDPH press release (pdf) on 2025-26 vaccine guidance, as well as the State of Illinois Standing Order on Administering Vaccine (pdf). CDPH maintains a public Respiratory Virus dashboard, summarizing COVID, flu, and RSV activity levels in Chicago on a weekly basis.

National Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

Saturday, September 27 is National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, when we raise awareness about stopping stigma and encouraging testing, prevention, and treatment for HIV among gay and bisexual men. HIV has a significant impact on gay and bisexual men, who account for a large percentage of new infections and people living with HIV in the United States, despite being a small portion of the overall population.

There are many ways you can get involved, including: Learning about PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) and PEP (to Post-Exposure Prophylaxis), protecting yourself and your partners when having sex, encouraging HIV testing among your community, and sharing information how to go about getting tested for HIV.

You can also watch the Emmy-nominated CDPH-produced documentary series HIV and the Journey Toward Zero, a 3-part series that spotlights a Midwestern experience through the perspective of Chicago advocates and survivors from all walks of life.

Lead Poisoning Prevention Conference Recap

Nearly 200 participants - including healthcare professionals, childcare providers, contractors, and staff from across City of Chicago departments - gathered at Malcolm X College on September 16 for CDPH's 2nd Annual Lead Poisoning Prevention Conference. This year's theme, Healthy Homes, Lead-Free Lives, underscored the department's commitment to ensuring every child in Chicago can grow up in a safe and healthy home. Attendance grew by more than 58% over last year, rising from 120 to 190 attendees.

The day featured dynamic sessions on updated blood lead thresholds, innovations in abatement, grant resources, and collaborative approaches to healthier housing. Highlights included the opening panel, A Family's Journey, which offered powerful perspectives from a parent, nurse, doctor, case manager, and inspector on the realities of lead exposure and remediation. The event also hosted 18 vendors and exhibitors, including City departments such as Water Management and Housing, as well as community organizations, lead remediation specialists, early learning providers, and healthcare partners. Together, participants, vendors, and CDPH staff showcased how innovation, education, and cross-sector collaboration are helping Chicago move closer to becoming a lead-free city.

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