|
The Regional Vaccination Site at 102 W. Water Street in Waukegan will transition to walk-in service only as of July 11, 2021, and will no longer function as a drive-through site. The Water Street site will only operate on Sundays from 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Residents can make an appointment online or walk up to the site for a vaccine.
The Water Street site provides all three vaccines authorized in the United States—Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. Residents may simply walk in and register on-site at the Water Street location, or they can schedule an appointment through the Lake County AllVax Portal, or by calling (847) 377-8130.
Read the full press release for more information and for a list of other Lake County Health Department Community Health Center vaccination sites.
The CDC updated their Guidance for COVID-19 Prevention in K-12 Schools on July 9. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has adopted this guidance as well. Within the guidance, it states that:
- Students benefit from in-person learning. Safely returning to in-person learning in the fall is a priority.
- Masks should be worn indoors by all individuals (ages 2 and older) who are not fully vaccinated. Consistent and correct mask use by those not fully vaccinated is especially important indoors and in crowded settings, when physical distancing cannot be maintained.
- It is recommended that schools maintain at least 3 feet of physical distance between students within classrooms, combined with indoor mask wearing by people who are not fully vaccinated. These prevention steps will reduce transmission risk.
- Other important layers of protection include:
- Screening testing
- Ventilation
- Handwashing and respiratory etiquette
- Staying home when sick and getting tested
- Contact tracing in combination with quarantine and isolation
- Cleaning and disinfection
Many children who attend school (under the age of 12) are not yet eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination yet. This guidance emphasizes implementing layered prevention strategies (e.g., using multiple prevention strategies together consistently) to protect people who are not fully vaccinated, including students, teachers, staff, and other members of their households.
For those eligible to receive a vaccine, check out the CDCs page COVID-19 Vaccines for Children and Teens for more information.
|
Community Health Workers from the Lake County Health Department and its partners, known as Community Health Ambassadors, have been going door-to-door to share trustworthy health information and resources, including information about COVID-19 vaccines. While door-to-door outreach is not a new strategy and has been used by health departments across the country, here are some myth-busting facts you may not know!
|
Myth: A Community Health Ambassador (CHA) goes door to door to deliver the COVID-19 vaccine.
Fact: CHAs go out into the community to share general health information and resources, answer frequently asked questions, and help interested community members get connected to a vaccine. CHAs help educate community members on how to stay healthy and protect themselves from COVID-19. If you are not interested in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, CHAs will respect your decision.
Myth: A Community Health Ambassador (CHA) collects personal information.
Fact: Personal information is not collected, not even your name. You may be asked if you have decided to get the COVID-19 vaccine or not, but your response will not be tied to your identity. You do not have to answer any question you do not want to.
Myth: The Community Health Ambassador (CHA) program is new.
Fact: CHAs have been doing outreach for months. CHAs provide information and resources about basic health information, COVID-19 and vaccines, as well as answer questions and help community members get connected to additional resources.
Myth: A Community Health Ambassador (CHA) collects information on who has been vaccinated and who has not.
Fact: CHAs help community members get vaccinated by sharing resources, answering frequently asked questions, and encouraging community members to register on AllVax, Lake County's vaccination portal. If someone requests additional information, materials, or assistance in another language, a CHA may ask them for their contact information so that someone from the Health Department can follow up. General vaccination counts are used to help the Health Department plan community vaccination events and further outreach. No one is ever forced to be vaccinated or answer questions.
More information about our Community Health Ambassador program can be found on the Lake County Health Department website.
The Lake County COVID-19 Summer Camp Toolkit offers guidance and outlines strategies that camp programs can use to help maintain healthy environments and operations, lower the risk of COVID-19 spread in their programs, prepare for when someone is sick with
COVID-19.
It is recommended that everyone ages 12 and over be vaccinated as soon as possible to protect themselves and others from COVID-19. Camps that have only fully vaccinated attendees may operate at full capacity without masking or physical distancing. Once vaccinated, individuals may still choose to wear a mask and camp programs should be supportive of those that choose to do so.
Multiple preventions strategies should be used to reduce the spread of COVID-19. These strategies will help to protect campers, staff, and family members that have not gotten vaccinated.
Find the full Guidance for Operating Youth Camps on the CDC’s page.
|
Recently, Lake County and Region 9 have seen an increase in COVID-19 cases. As of July 13, Region 9 (Lake and McHenry County) has a seven day rolling average test positivity rate of 1.6%. Lake County's test positivity rate is at 1.4% and McHenry County's is at 2.1%. Visit IDPH to view regional metrics and county metrics.
We urge our community to continue to take precautions and get vaccinated when eligible. If you have received your first dose in a two-dose series (Pfizer and Moderna), please make sure to get the second dose in the series. Individuals are fully vaccinated two weeks after the second dose in a two-dose series or after the one dose Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.
- As of July 16, 2021, over 731,900 vaccine doses have been administered to Lake County residents and 356,057 residents (50.80% of the population) have been fully vaccinated.
- Over 84.2% of Lake County seniors ages 65 and older and 64.1% of those age 16-64 have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
- The county is averaging 1,141 doses administered per day on a 7-day rolling average.
- As of July 16, 2021, 62,165 Lake County residents have tested positive for COVID-19, including 1,026 deaths.
View the Lake County, IL Coronavirus Data Hub
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?
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.
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
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.
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.
Forwarded this email? Sign up to receive COVID-19 updates directly from the Lake County Health Department.
|
