County Health Departments Talk About Rising COVID-19 Cases

It’s been almost two weeks since Thanksgiving and COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are still spreading across Illinois. 

On December 7, 2020, Governor J.B. Pritzker said statewide 3 in 4 hospital beds are in use, and Illinois is now averaging 152 deaths per day. That’s an average of 35 more deaths per day than the worst rate in the Spring. The Governor and experts are worried about a potential “surge within the surge” due to the holidays. Also as of December 7, the statewide COVID-19 caseload stands at 796,264 including 13,343 deaths since the pandemic began.

To speak more about how COVID-19 testing, contact tracing and community compliance with restrictions is mitigating the spread of illness, The 21st spoke to three members from County Health Departments from across Illinois. 

Guests:

Amy Fox, Tazewell County Health Department administrator

Brandi Binkley, Public health administrator for the Macon County Health Department

Jessica McKnight, McLean County Health Department administrator

Prepared for web by Zainab Qureshi

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