On March 18, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced 128 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total cases in Illinois to 288. Researchers and doctors are saying that it is likely that 10 times this amount of people have the virus and just have not been tested.
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On March 18, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced 128 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total cases in Illinois to 288. Researchers and doctors are saying that it is likely that 10 times this amount of people have the virus and just have not been tested. The Centers for Disease Control stated that Illinois is in an “Acceleration Phase” and said things are going to get worse before they get better. DuPage County announced 20 additional confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the nursing home reported on yesterday, bringing the total to 42 cases of COVID-19 in that one facility alone. The numbers at the nursing home clearly demonstrate how contagious this virus is and how fast it will spread if not contained.
While there are still no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Lee County, the KSB Hospital drive thru COVID-19 testing site has tested 84 people for COVID-19 who met rigid clinical criteria for testing. It will take up to four days to get the results. As of yesterday afternoon, there are 5 people quarantined and 33 people in isolation in Lee County, meaning an additional 25 people have been placed in isolation.
“Quarantine” versus “Isolation”
Quarantine is used to separate and restrict the movement of well persons who may have been exposed to a communicable disease to see if they become ill. These people may have been exposed to a disease and do not know it, or they may have the disease but do not show symptoms. Quarantine can also help limit the spread of communicable diseases.
Isolation is used to separate ill persons who have a communicable disease from those who are healthy. Isolation restricts movement of ill persons to help stop the spread of certain diseases. People with symptoms of a disease may also be put in isolation pending test results.
The Unified Executive Leadership Team would like to thank local restaurants and bars for following Governor Pritzker’s Executive Order. Dixon Chamber of Commerce and Main Street have been in close contact with these businesses. Restaurants continue to provide drive-up, delivery and carry-out services. Although customer pick-up is allowed in the executive order, there are strict guidelines to follow if choosing this option. The Lee County Health Department does not recommend this option.
New Lee County Unified Leadership Team Recommendations:
Lee County officials have reduced the recommendations to limit any group or public gatherings from 25 to 10 people.
The leadership team asks citizens to check on friends, family, and neighbors who live alone. While we want to practice social distancing, we do not want to create social isolation. Leaders suggest calling people who fall into this category or Facetiming them. Human interaction is important to everyone, especially during times like these.
City of Dixon:
Beginning today, the City of Dixon closed the Dixon Public Safety Building to non-employees. Employees will continue working in this building. Residents are asked to conduct business by phone, electronically, or by mail.
Dixon Chamber of Commerce and Main Street (DCCMS):
DCCMS is working closely with local businesses to connect them to state and federal resources. Businesses with questions about ongoing operations can contact DCCMS.
Illinois National Guard:
There are rumors related to the activation of the Illinois National Guard. Here are the facts: The Illinois National Guard has activated 60 people, most of which have jobs related to planning. They are being dispatched to Springfield.
What to do if you think you have COVID-19:
If you think you have COVID-19, do not go to the hospital. Residents should:
Residents can go to the following websites for additional information:
Go to KSB, IDPH, or CDC websites. Lee County Health Department provides regular updates on its Facebook page.
For general questions about COVID-19, call the IDPH hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or 211.
