La Salle County at high risk for spread of COVID-19

La Salle County is considered at high risk for the spread of COVID-19, according to guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

When a high-risk designation has been made, the CDC recommends all residents wear a well-fitting mask indoors in public, regardless of vaccination status (including in kindergarten through 12th grade schools and other indoor community settings).

Three La Salle County residents died from complications related to COVID-19 since July 8 – a woman in her 50s, a man in his 80s and a woman in her 90s.

There have been six COVID-related deaths in La Salle County this month, surpassing the total of three COVID-related deaths in all of July 2021. Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 485 COVID-19 related deaths countywide.

La Salle County’s risk level is based on these indicators set by the CDC. In the past seven days, it had a case rate total of 292.63 per 100,000 (up 97 from a week ago), 14 new hospital admissions (12.6 per 100,000) of confirmed COVID-19 (nearly double from a week ago) and 3.6% of staffed inpatient beds in use by patients with confirmed COVID-19 (up from a week ago).

Additionally, there were 298 new confirmed COVID-19 cases countywide since July 8. Making up the new cases are eight boys younger than 13, 12 girls younger than 13, eight teenage boys, eight teenage girls, 21 men in their 20s, 24 women in their 20s, 21 men in their 30s, 24 women in their 30s, 17 men in their 40s, 25 women in their 40s, 16 men in their 50s, 24 women in their 50s, 24 men in their 60s, 19 women in their 60s, 14 men in their 70s, eight women in their 70s, nine men in their 80s, nine women in their 80s, a man in his 90s and six women in their 90s.

There have been 223 previously confirmed COVID-19 cases in La Salle County who have been removed from quarantine since July 8.

If you are immunocompromised or high risk for severe disease, the La Salle County Health Department recommends wearing a mask or respirator that provides you with greater protection, considering avoiding non-essential indoor activities in public where you could be exposed, talking to your health care provider about whether you need to take other precautions (e.g., testing), having a plan for rapid testing if needed (e.g., having home tests or access to testing), talking to your healthcare provider about whether you are a candidate for treatments like oral antivirals, PrEP, and monoclonal antibodies, and if you test positive, talking to your healthcare provider about whether you are a candidate for treatments like oral antivirals, and monoclonal antibodies

The CDC recommends staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters. COVID-19 vaccines available in the U.S. are effective at protecting people, especially those who have been boosted, from getting seriously ill, being hospitalized, and even dying. The CDC recommends everyone ages 5 years and older should get a booster after completing their primary series of COVID-19 vaccine and adults ages 50 and older and people ages 12 and older who are moderately or severely immunocompromised should get a second booster.

Regardless of community level, the La Salle County Health Department recommendations for isolation for those testing positive and those exposed, isolation and quarantine also remain the same, including masking from days 6 to 10 when isolation/quarantine end.

The La Salle County Health Department schedules all COVID-19 tests online. Access the link at https://hipaa.jotform.com/220026540796151.

Individuals who need to start the COVID-19 vaccination series or a booster, call the La Salle County Health Department at 815-433-3366 to schedule an appointment. The health department has Johnson & Johnson, Moderna and Pfizer available.

About 58% of the county’s population was fully vaccinated for COVID-19 as of July 1, 61.8% of the county’s population has had at least one dose of the vaccine and 35,943 boosters have been administered, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

To search for vaccine locations available near you visit www.vaccines.gov.