Lee County Unified Executive Leadership Team COVID-19 Update: March 25, 2020

Posted 3/24/20

IDPH Reports New Cases in Illinois for a total of 1,865 in 35 Illinois Counties

The State Death Toll has Risen to 20

There are still no reported cases in Lee County

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Lee County Unified Executive Leadership Team COVID-19 Update: March 25, 2020

Posted

LEE COUNTY — Local leaders participated in a nationwide phone conference today with Surgeon General of the United States Jerome Adams and several other high-ranking government officials. Surgeon General Adams placed significant emphasis on the importance of the response at the local level and reinforced the importance of “social distancing” and good handwashing.  To prevent the spread of COVID-19, Adams said, “Everyone should behave as if they have COVID-19.”  If we all take the appropriate precautions, we can stop the spread of this virus that targets the most vulnerable portions of our population. 

Adams said there is evidence that if we do the “right thing” at the “right place” at the “right time” we can make a significant impact to “flatten the curve.”  Adams reinforced that “social distancing” does not mean “social disengagement” and urged people to use emerging technologies like telehealth and other virtual connection resources like Facetime, Zoom and Google Hangout. 

Local leaders continue to work closely with local business owners on who may remain open and who should close pursuant to Governor Pritkzer’s “Stay at Home” executive order. We are working closely with and through Dixon Chamber of Commerce and Main Street to ensure these businesses have access to all the support tools available from the state and federal government.  DCCMS recently launched a COVID-19 website at www.dixonprepared.co

Three new cases have been reported in our region, which brings the new regional total to 14 positive COVID-19 cases.  There are still no positive cases in Lee County.

Feeding the Hungry:

“Feeding The Hungry” will be moving 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.

Lee County Unified Executive Leadership Team Additional Information:

Donations:  LCHD and other departments have received inquiries about donations. We’ve designated a donations management person for Lee County: Lora Fassler.  She can be reached at 815/284-3371.

KSB Hospital:

Today, KSB hospital assembled a tent in one of their small parking lots just southeast of their primary entrance.  This tent has been set up as a precautionary measure should there be overflow issues with the emergency room.  There are no overflow issues at this time.

KSB Hospital is exploring the use of retired nurses and physicians to supplement current staff. Efforts are under way to waive certain credentialing requirements.  Retired nurses and physicians are asked to contact KSB Hospital Human Resources.

“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.

Governor Pritzker “Stay at Home” Resources:

Governor Pritzker’s “Stay at Home” order can be found at this link:  https://www.iml.org/file.cfm?key=18394

The Governor’s office also released a FAQ document related to the “Stay at Home” order.  The order can be found at this link:  https://www.iml.org/file.cfm?key=18395

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.