- As of February 26, over 114,500 vaccine doses have been administered to Lake County residents, and 28,780 residents (4.11% of the population) have been fully vaccinated. The county is averaging 3,420 doses administered per day on a 7-day rolling average. 36.4% of Lake County seniors ages 65 and older have received at least one dose.
- Our vaccination partners continue to assist us in vaccinating seniors, healthcare workers, Pre-K through 12th grade staff, and manufacturing employees. For more information on the four ways to access the vaccine, visit our Vaccine webpage.
- The Lake County Health Department continues to increase vaccinations at our Lake County Fairgrounds mass vaccination site. This includes healthcare workers and others eligible in Phase 1a, as well as seniors ages 65 and older. Vaccinations of first responders will expand on March 1, 2021.
- Vaccine supply continues to be extremely limited. Most appointments being offered over the past two weeks have been for people receiving their second dose of the vaccine. We expect vaccine supply to improve soon. Increasing appointments for first doses will be available by early to mid-March.
 Last week, our Health Department launched two new visualizations on our COVID-19 Data Hub. The new visualizations allow residents to toggle between percent change and prevalence.
An "under 18" category on the Incidence by Age Group graph has been added, along with a graph that shows the incidence rates in four different under 18 age groups.
View the dashboard and updated visualizations here: https://covid19response-lakecountyil.hub.arcgis.com/
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Senior Citizens: Get Help and Vaccine Information Over the Phone
The Lake County Health Department provides support for COVID-19 vaccine registration through its AllVax Support Center, Mondays-Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. by phone at (847) 377-8130, and by email at AllVax@lakecountyil.gov.
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Recently, additional volunteers were added to take calls from Lake County residents age 65 and older during special senior hours:
- Tuesdays: Noon to 3 p.m.
- Thursdays: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Fridays: Noon to 3 p.m.
During the hours listed above, seniors calling (847) 377-8130 can select option 1 to be routed to a volunteer. Because vaccine supply is very limited at this time, and demand is high, volunteers at the call center cannot schedule or expedite appointments. However, they can help people register and answer questions about the process. If you leave a voicemail when you call, a volunteer will call you back.
Currently, there are over 150 Community Health Ambassadors! Community Health Ambassadors can play a key role in helping our community members get vaccinated. They assist by sharing resources, answering frequently asked questions, and encouraging community members to register on Lake County's vaccination AllVax Portal.
We invite community organizations, faith centers, service providers, and interested individuals to join. Visit the Community Health Ambassadors page for more information.
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The CDC released a new Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) about the safety of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines during the first month of vaccine safety monitoring.
Both vaccines were authorized for use in the United States in December 2020. Monitoring the safety of these two vaccines has been the most intense and comprehensive in U.S. history, using numerous reporting systems. These reporting systems track reactions to the vaccines. No unusual or unexpected reactions were reported. The most common reported side effects consist of headache, fatigue, and dizziness. There is a possibility of a reaction after receiving a dose but most reactions are usually mild.
The findings from monitoring the safety of the vaccines continue to provide reassurance to both healthcare providers and vaccine recipients.
For more information about the vaccine safety monitoring systems, visit the CDC’s page on Ensuring COVID-19 Vaccine Safety.
Learn more through the CDC about COVID-19 Vaccines.
 The Illinois Department of Public Health continues to track the positivity rates and hospital capacity metrics for each region in our state. Region 9, which consists of Lake and McHenry County, is currently at a 4.3% positivity rate.
All regions in Illinois are in Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan. Read this Lake County Health Department press release on what’s currently permitted for bars, restaurants, shops, personal care, recreation, museums, meetings, and more.
If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or have been exposed to someone who has it, getting tested can help you know what steps to take to keep your loved ones safe. Remember to focus on prevention first! Take steps to avoid being exposed to COVID-19. Due to the rapid spread of the virus over the past several weeks, demand for testing continues to be high. This can lead to increased wait times at testing sites and longer wait times for results.
Where can I get tested?
Contact your doctor to ask about testing availability, or check the Lake County Testing Site Locator for options.
State-run Community-Based Testing Sites located in Waukegan (102 W. Water St.), Arlington Heights (2000 W Euclid Ave.), and Rockford (1601 Parkview Ave.) are open 7 days a week from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Testing at these sites is free. These sites have drive-through testing, as well as walk-up testing for those who do not have a vehicle or need to use public transportation. Please note, you are not permitted to exit your car to use the walk-up line once you arrive. For more information, visit the IDPH website.
A mobile testing unit run by the IDPH will be in Lake County next week:
Friday, March 5, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Round Lake Area Park District Harts Hill Park
761 Hart Rd., Round Lake
Saturday, March 6, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Highland Park Metra Station
1700 St. John’s Ave., Highland Park
Sunday, March 7, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Mundelein Metra Station
205 N. Archer Ave., Mundelein
Testing is free and open to all regardless of symptoms. A phone number and name are required in order to receive testing results. Photo identification and proof of insurance are helpful, but not required. High demand for testing may result in long wait times. Testing locations may close early due to inclement weather or if daily testing supplies are exhausted. Additional COVID-19 testing locations and information can be found at the IDPH website.
How do I get my test results?
If you were tested by your own healthcare provider, please contact them directly and follow their instructions for getting your test results. If you were tested at a State-run Community-Based Testing Site or mobile testing site, you will receive a phone call with your results.
If you were recently tested at a mobile COVID-19 testing site and you have not been contacted within 7 days, please call 888-297-7208 or visit https://idph-mychart.pchosted.com/idph/Authentication/Login
As of February 26, 2021, 54,754 Lake County residents have tested positive for COVID-19, including 919 deaths.
Our Coronavirus Data Hub provides data and resources for our county, including cases and deaths, tests performed, demographic data, and an interactive map and charts.
View the Lake County, IL Coronavirus Data Hub
Do you have questions? The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has established a COVID-19 hotline and email address to answer questions from the public:
For additional information from the IDPH, visit: http://www.dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/diseases-and-conditions/diseases-a-z-list/coronavirus
Community Guidance and Resources
Protect yourself and your community. Our Information for Specific Groups page is now Community Guidance and Resources. This page is more user-friendly and has information to help residents stay safe and informed.
Communication Resources
We need your help to keep our communities healthy and safe. The Lake County Health Department, Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offer free resources including fact sheets, flyers, posters, and videos.
View communication resources
Forwarded this email? Sign up to receive COVID-19 updates directly from the Lake County Health Department.
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