LEE COUNTY — Today, Lee County has three new cases (two people in their 50s and one in his or her 20’s) of COVID-19, bringing the total to 28.  13 of these 28 have recovered and been lifted off isolation. 

The State of Illinois reported 2,563 new cases in 97 counties for a total of 52,918. There were 141 new deaths bringing the death toll to 2,355. 

The Lee County Council on Aging (LCCOA) is delivering meals to seniors 65 and older 5 days per week at no charge. The meals are provided by LCCOA and made by KSB. If interested, call the Lee County Council on Aging at 815-288-9236.

New Testing Criteria:

The Illinois Department of Public Health has expanded testing guidelines. Now anyone with COVID-19 like symptoms (cough, shortness of breath and fever) OR who have a risk factor, such as contact with someone confirmed to have COVID-19, a compromised immune system or a serious chronic medical condition.

can get a test, even without a doctor’s order. And now the following people can be tested with or without symptoms. 

• Work in health care facility
• Work in correctional facilities, such as jails or prisons
• Serve as first responders, such as paramedics, emergency medical technicians, law enforcement officers, or firefighters
• Support critical infrastructure, such as workers in grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants, gas stations, public utilities, factories, childcare and sanitation.

Here are the new provisions that will take effect on Friday, May 1, unless the Governor makes changes before then: 

Public Health Requirements for Individuals Leaving Home and for Businesses

1. Wearing a face covering in public places or when working. Any individual who is

over age two and able to medically tolerate a face-covering (a mask or cloth face-covering) shall be required to cover their nose and mouth with a face-covering when in a public place and unable to maintain a six-foot social distance. Face-coverings are required in public indoor spaces such as stores.

2. Requirements for essential stores. Retail stores (including, but not limited to, stores

that sell groceries and medicine, hardware stores, and greenhouses, garden centers,

and nurseries) designated as Essential Businesses and Operations under this Order

shall to the greatest extent possible:

• provide face coverings to all employees who are not able to maintain a minimum six-foot social distance at all times;
• cap occupancy at 50 percent of store capacity, or, alternatively, at the

occupancy limits based on store square footage set by the Department of

Commerce and Economic Opportunity;

• set up store aisles to be one-way where practicable to maximize spacing

between customers and identify the one-way aisles with conspicuous signage

and/or floor markings;

communicate with customers through in-store signage, and public service

announcements and advertisements, about the social distancing

requirements set forth in this Order (Social Distancing Requirements); and

discontinue use of reusable bags.

• Households must limit the number of members who enter stores to the minimum

necessary.

3. Requirements for non-essential stores. Retail stores not designated as Essential

Businesses and Operations may re-open for the limited purposes of fulfilling

telephone and online orders through pick-up outside the store and delivery – which

are deemed to be Minimum Basic Operations. Employees working in the store must

follow the social distancing requirements, and must wear a face covering when they

may come within six feet of another employee or a customer.

4. Requirements for manufacturers. Manufacturers that continue to operate pursuant

to this Order must follow Social Distancing Requirements and take appropriate

precautions, which may include:

• providing face coverings to all employees who are not able to maintain a

minimum six-foot social distance at all times;

• staggering shifts;
• reducing line speeds:
• operating only essential lines, while shutting down non-essential lines;
• ensuring that all spaces where employees may gather, including locker

rooms and lunchrooms, allow for social distancing; and

• downsizing operations to the extent necessary to allow for social distancing

and to provide a safe workplace in response to the COVID-19 emergency.

5. Requirements for all businesses. All businesses must evaluate which employees are

able to work from home, and are encouraged to facilitate remote work from home

when possible. All businesses that have employees physically reporting to a worksite must post guidance from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) regarding workplace safety during the COVID-19 emergency.

We are still awaiting clarification of some items in the executive order in the form of a frequently asked questions document.  We will share that when we receive it.

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.