LEE COUNTY — Today, Governor Pritzker extended his “Stay at Home” order until April 30, 2020. This is also the earliest students could return to the classroom. Cases in Illinois continue to spike and this spike is with very limited testing across the state. We must all do our part to flatten the curve through social distancing, good handwashing practices, and staying at home unless necessary to leave for work or essential travel.    

The Lee County Unified Executive Leadership Team has been receiving questions regarding different scenarios related to activities. Governor Pritzker’s order is to “Stay at Home” except for specific exemptions related to essential businesses, driving to work to perform your duties for your essential business, and essential travel such as going to a grocery store, pharmacy, doctor’s office, or other things specified in the order.  If you question whether or not your activity is in compliance with the order, please refer to the order or direct questions to 1-800-252-2923 or CEO.support@illinois.gov. 

Today, the State of Illinois reported 937 new cases bringing the total number of lab-confirmed cases in Illinois to 5,994 across 54 counties.  The state death toll has climbed to 99.

Random acts of kindness continue to occur. Today, the Sauk Valley Taking Care of our Caretakers group delivered lunch from Sowbelly’s to Lee County Health Department employees. The health department would like to thank this group for the kind gesture. 

Local Numbers:

Our county received no new test results today. To date, there have been 102 negative test results in Lee County. 66 tests remain pending. Seven people were tested at the KSB Hospital drive-thru site. Lee County still does not have a confirmed case of COVID-19. In the event Lee County does receive a confirmed case, the health department will release the following information:  the fact the person lives in Lee County and the age of the person by decade. The health department and KSB Hospital place patient confidentiality and patient care at a premium. There are plans in place if a case is confirmed in Lee County to notify anyone who was potentially exposed.

Lee County Health Department “Support for Seniors”:

The Lee County Health Department has created a “Support for Seniors” program, using volunteers. The purpose of the program is to help seniors avoid potential risk and exposure to COVID-19 by providing assistance in picking up groceries and other essential needs. Volunteers have undergone background checks. The number of volunteers is limited, so this service is available to those who do not have family or friends who can help with these tasks. There is a short screening process to be eligible for this assistance.  If you need assistance, please contact Jennifer Kolb at the health department-815/284-3371, extension118.

Feeding the Hungry 

“Feeding The Hungry” has moved from The Living Well Church to the KSB Emergency Department Parking Lot on Tuesday and Thursday’s from 5:00 - 6:00 PM.  St. Anne Church hosts the program on Wednesday evenings from 6:00 - 7:00.  Meals are available to anyone in need with no questions asked.

“Essential” Business Questions:

If you are a business and not sure how you are affected by the "Stay at Home" Executive Order: The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) can help you decipher the Executive Order.

Please feel free to direct questions to 1-800-252-2923 or CEO.support@illinois.gov. 

The Governor’s Office is in the process of collecting and responding to questions regarding the state’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak. To help facilitate that process, they have created an email address, Gov.COVID19stakeholder@illinois.gov, where citizens may send questions, comments and recommendations. The Governor’s staff will then compile all inquiries and respond with answers.     

What to do if you think you have COVID-19: (UPDATED INFORMATION)

During the current Corona Virus outbreak, individuals with symptoms SHOULD NOT GO to health care facilities such as hospitals, clinics, and urgent care centers without CALLING FIRST.  Instead, they can seek care by using one of the following options:

• Use the “KSB Care Anywhere” virtual care app (https://ksbhospital.zipnosis.com/) for a free 5 question screening in order to help differentiate your symptoms between the virus and other seasonal maladies. While a credit card is required for a more involved assessment, no charges will be applied if a COVID-19 testing referral is made.
• KSB is offering a Coronavirus HOTLINE, by which symptoms can be evaluated against federal screening guidelines, and if appropriate, a referral is made to their Drive-Thru Screening site. The screening site is available ONLY through the hotline and between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm on weekdays by calling 815-285-7777.
• Residents with a Primary Care Practitioner can also CALL their office for advice. Again, CALL FIRST before going to the office.

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.

• https://www.ksbhospital.com/coronavirus-outbreak-covid-19/
• http://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/diseases-and-conditions/diseases-a-z-list/coronavirus
• https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
• For businesses: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-business-response.html
• Facebook: Lee County IL Health Department

For general questions about COVID-19, call the IDPH hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or 211.