 According to the CDC, 25 Illinois counties are now
rated at High Community Level for COVID-19, an area that includes
counties around Rockford in northern Illinois as well as counties
around Bloomington, Peoria and Springfield in central Illinois. An
additional 39 counties in Illinois are now rated at Medium Community
Level.
The latest data from the CDC shows that several counties were
downgraded from High Community Level to Medium, including Cook,
DuPage, Kane and Lake counties in northeast Illinois.
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 3,380,095 cases, including
33,994 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois since the beginning of
the pandemic.
As of last night, 1,162 individuals in Illinois were reported to be
in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 131 patients were in the
ICU and 33 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators. The
preliminary seven-day statewide case rate is 213 COVID-19 cases per
100,000 Illinoisans.
Following a ten percent uptick in cases after the Memorial Day
Weekend, IDPH is urging Illinoisans to exercise caution and common
sense when it comes to attending family gatherings over the coming
Father’s Day and Juneteenth weekend.
“With 64 counties at the Medium or High Community Level across
Illinois in the wake of Memorial Day, this should serve as a warning
to all of us as we are making plans to celebrate Father’s Day and
Juneteenth this coming weekend,” said IDPH Acting Director Amaal
Tokars. “We urge everyone to keep the safety of their loved ones in
mind, especially older family members and those who are vulnerable
to severe outcomes. If you are attending a family gathering, you
should be up-to-date and boosted on your vaccinations. If you are
feeling any symptoms, you should take a COVID-19 test or stay home.
In areas with elevated community levels, you should wear your mask
in indoor public places and avoid indoor crowded spaces. If needed,
contact a healthcare provider promptly to discuss what treatment is
right for you.”
The counties listed at High Community Level are Boone, DeKalb, Jo
Daviess, Kankakee, Kendall, Lee, Ogle, Will and Winnebago in
northern Illinois; Brown, Cass, Christian, Fulton, Logan, Marshall,
McLean, Menard, Morgan, Peoria, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Tazewell
and Woodford in central Illinois; and Massac in Southern Illinois.
The CDC recommends the following measures for people in areas that
are rated at High Community Level for COVID-19 transmission:
• Wear a well-fitting mask indoors in public, regardless of
vaccination status (including in K-12 schools and other indoor
community settings)
• If you are immunocompromised or high risk for severe disease
o Wear a mask or respirator that provides you with greater
protection
o Consider avoiding non-essential
indoor activities in public where you could be exposed
o Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to take
other precautions
[to top of second column] |
o Have a plan for rapid testing if needed (e.g.,
having home tests or access to testing)
o IF YOU TEST POSITIVE: Talk to your healthcare
provider about whether you are a candidate for treatments like oral
antivirals, and monoclonal antibodies
• If you have household or social contact with someone at high risk
for severe disease
o consider self-testing to detect infection before contact
o consider wearing a mask when indoors with them
• Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters
• Maintain improved ventilation throughout indoor spaces when
possible
• Follow CDC recommendations for isolation and quarantine, including
getting tested if you are exposed to COVID-19 or have symptoms of
COVID-19
At the Medium Community Level, persons who are elderly or
immunocompromised (at risk of severe outcomes) are advised to wear a
mask in indoor public places. In addition, they should make sure to
get up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines or get their 2nd booster,
if eligible.
IDPH has been supporting pharmacies and healthcare providers in
efforts to increase their inventories of the various FDA-authorized
treatments. There are over 1,200 treatment locations in Illinois -
including all the major retail pharmacies. More than 96.7% of the
state’s population is within a 10-mile radius of one of these
locations.
A total of 22,543,715 vaccines have been administered in Illinois.
The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is
9,891 doses. Since June 10, 69,235 doses were reported administered
in Illinois. Of Illinois’ total population, more than 76% has
received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, more than 69% of
Illinois’ total population is fully vaccinated, and more than 53% of
the vaccinated population has an initial booster according to data
from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Data indicates
that the risk of hospitalization and severe outcomes from COVID-19
is much higher for unvaccinated people than for those who are up to
date on their vaccinations.
All data are provisional and are subject to change. Additional
information and COVID-19 data can be found at https://dph.illinois.gov/covid19.html.
Vaccination is the key to ending this pandemic. To find a COVID-19
vaccination location near you, go to www.vaccines.gov.
The federal government has established a new website that provides
an all-purpose toolkit with information on how to obtain masks,
treatment, vaccines and testing resources for all areas of the
country at: https://www.covid.gov/.
[Illinois Office of Communication and
Information] |
