Coronavirus (COVID-19) Newsletter — June 11, 2021

June 11, 2021  |  View as a webpage  |  Translate

COVID-19 Update

Illinois Phase 5 Reopening

Illinois moved into Phase 5 of the Restore Illinois plan today, Friday, June 11. Phase 5 of the Restore plan removes capacity restrictions and allows for businesses, events, and venues to operate at full capacity. The state can move to Phase 5 as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to decrease. COVID-19 vaccines are widely available for those ages 12 and older. It is encouraged that those eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine get it as soon as possible.

Fully vaccinated individuals can resume activities without wearing a mask except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance. Illinois continues to recommend that unvaccinated individuals, ages 2 and older, continue to wear a mask.

Individual businesses and local municipalities may choose to implement or keep prevention procedures, such as social distancing and mask-wearing.

If there is an increase in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and a decrease in ICU bed capacity, the state will analyze the metrics and the possible need to move back into the bridge phase. 

Visit the Phase 5 Guidance for Businesses and Venues for more information.

Lake County Fairgrounds Mass Vaccination Site Closing

fairgrounds hours

The Lake County Fairgrounds mass vaccination site will close on Monday, June 14. The Fairgrounds site opened in the middle of January and has administered thousands of vaccinations since. The Health Department is proud to have been a part of such a huge effort in vaccinating our community. We appreciate the volunteers and workers for all their time ad effort. The final Fairground days and times are: 

  • Sunday, June 13: 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
  • Monday, June 14: 1:00 – 6:00 p.m.
walk vax sites

Please keep in mind that many community partner sites around Lake County will continue to offer COVID-19 vaccinations. Locations, days, and times are as follows:

Former K-Mart Supercenter (Pfizer)
400 E. Rollins Rd., Round Lake Beach
Tuesdays through Sundays, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Regional Vaccination Site (Pfizer)
102 W. Water St., Waukegan
Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Zion Community Clinic (Pfizer)
1634 23rd St., Zion
Mondays and Tuesdays, 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

3363 Sheridan Rd., Zion
Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Visit the AllVax Find a Vaccine page for all the ways you can access a COVID-19 vaccine.

Increased WIC Benefits

WIC image

The American Rescue Plan has allowed for an increase in Women, Infants & Children’s (WIC) vegetable and fruit cash-value benefit (CVB). The benefit has temporarily increased to $35 per month for fruits and vegetables, per mother and child, through September. It will be added to EBT cards for the months of June, July, August, and September. If you already receive WIC benefits, this change will be automatic for you!

For more information about WIC or to find out if your family qualifies, visit the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants & Children (WIC) on Lake County Health Department's website. This institution is an equal opportunity provider, https://www.fns.usda.gov/cr/fns-nondiscrimination-statement.

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Trials for Children Under 12

Pfizer-BioNTech announced they will begin COIVD-19 vaccine trials with children ages 6 months to 11 years old in the coming weeks. The trial will include several individuals from a number of countries. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and immunity the COVID-19 vaccine will provide these age groups. The vaccine will be given to children in a two-dose series (21 days apart) to the following age groups:

  • 5 to 11 years
  • 2 to 5 years
  • 6 months to 2 years

They are hoping to submit the vaccine for Emergency Use Authorization (EAU) from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) between September and October for children ages 5 to 11, and children ages 6 months to 5 years old soon after. 

More information can be found on Pfizer's website

Waukegan Pride Parade and Vaccination POD

pride vax

On June 5, the Lake County Health Department, with support from generous community philanthropists, hosted its first mobile vaccine clinic at the Waukegan Pride Day celebration. 21 Lake County residents received vaccines with many more event attendees proudly exclaiming they were already vaccinated as they walked by.  

COVID-19 Vaccination Card

edited vax card

You will receive a COVID-19 vaccination card after you get your first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The card tells you:

  • Which COVID-19 vaccine you received.
  • The date of your first dose.
  • Where you received it.

If you received a COVID-19 vaccine that requires two doses (Pfizer and Moderna), bring the card to your second appointment so the second dose information can be filled in. 

If you did not receive a vaccination card at your first appointment or have lost your vaccination card, contact the provider that administered the vaccination. If you are unable to contact the provider, there are other ways of obtaining your COVID-19 vaccination record:

After getting vaccinated, keep your card safe. It is best to keep it protected by using a plastic sleeve rather than laminating it. Also, take care not to post your vaccination card on social media as it contains personal information. 

Lake County COVID-19 Data

  • As of June 11, 2021, over 665,700 vaccine doses have been administered to Lake County residents and 314,789 residents (44.92% of the population) have been fully vaccinated.
  • Over 82.6% of Lake County seniors ages 65 and older and 59.7% of those age 16-64 have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
  • The county is averaging 3,281 doses administered per day on a 7-day rolling average.
  • As of June 11, 2021, 61,782 Lake County residents have tested positive for COVID-19, including 1,009 deaths.

View the Lake County, IL Coronavirus Data Hub 

COVID-19 Testing

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. 

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 Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Testing is free and open to all regardless of symptoms. 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. 

Know Before You Go 

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. 

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. 

3 Ws Graphic - Lake County Health Department - English

Who to Contact if You Have Questions

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

COVID-19 Resources

Lake County AllVax Portal Resources

Visit our AllVax Frequently Asked Questions page to find answers and information about the COVID-19 vaccine in Lake County. Encourage members of the community to register in AllVax utilizing resources from the AllVax Portal Toolkit, including social media messages, guides, print materials, and more. 

Community Guidance and Resources

Protect yourself and your community. Our Community Guidance and Resources page has information to help residents stay safe and informed.

Based on the new guidance, we are in the process of updating our materials.

Get Involved

Join the Medical Reserve Corps

The Lake County Health Department is in need of volunteers with a valid medical license to fill roles as vaccinators, vaccine mixers, and wellness check observers at our mass vaccination sites. Visit our Lake County Medical Reserve Corps page to learn more.

Become a Community Health Ambassador

Community Health Ambassadors play a key role in helping our community members get vaccinated by sharing resources, answering FAQs, and encouraging community members to register on AllVax. Visit the Community Health Ambassador page for more information and to register.

Additional Ways to Help

Visit Lake County Health Departments How You Can Help page to find additional opportunities to donate or volunteer.

Useful Links

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