 Lake County is currently experiencing a 'high' level of COVID-19 community transmission, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) COVID-19 Integrated County View page. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has also indicated that Lake County is at the ‘orange’ risk level. More information about community transmission and county-level risk can be found below in the question-and-answer section below.
We urge our community to continue to be cautious and to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 offers a high level of protection against severe illness and death, but it is still important to follow the 3 Ws: Wear a mask, Wash your hands, and Watch your distance.
Question: What does ‘high’ level of transmission mean?
Answer: The CDC is tracking the level of COVID-19 community transmission across the United States at the county level. Lake County recently moved into a ‘high’ level of transmission. This means that Lake County has 100 or more weekly cases per 100,000 residents with COVID-19 or a 10% or greater test positivity rate in the last seven days.
Lake County will move back into the ‘substantial’ transmission level once there are 50 to 99 weekly cases per 100,000 residents or if the positivity rate is between 8 and 9.9% in the last seven days.
You can track county-level transmission on the CDC’s COVID-19 Integrated County View page.
Question: What does ‘orange’ risk level mean?
Answer: The IDPH monitors several indicators that measure the health burden of COVID-19 in each Illinois county and the county’s ability to respond. Lake County is currently at the ‘orange’ level. Moving to the ‘orange’ risk level means that Lake County continues to see an increase in COVID-19 cases and deaths. This is determined using the IDPH County Level Risk Metrics Map. This risk level is meant to help individuals and families make choices about activities and gatherings.
Questions: What precautions should be taken?
Answer: Regardless of your community's risk level, if you are eligible to get vaccinated against COVID-19, it is important to do so as soon as possible. Getting vaccinated is one of the best ways to stay protected against COVID-19. Additionally, it is recommended that everyone wear a mask while indoors regardless of vaccination status when in areas with ‘substantial’ or ‘high’ transmission. Unvaccinated individuals should continue to wear a mask in indoor settings regardless of transmission level. Wearing a mask indoors, regardless of vaccination status, will help to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) authorization, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has recommended that certain immunocompromised individuals receive an additional dose to improve the efficacy of the vaccine. These moderately or severely immunocompromised individuals include those who:
- Are in active or recent treatment for solid tumor and hematologic malignancies
- Are recipients of solid-organ or recent hematopoietic stem cell transplants
- Have severe primary immunodeficiency
- Have an advanced or untreated HIV infection
- Are in active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids, alkylating agents, antimetabolites, tumor-necrosis (TNF) blockers, and other biologic agents that are immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory
- Chronic medical conditions such as asplenia and chronic renal disease may be associated with varying degrees of immune deficit
The Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center will not be providing a COVID-19 vaccine additional dose at its community vaccination clinics or mobile vaccination sites. The Health Department vaccination sites will continue providing first and second doses to individuals and encourage all to get vaccinated as soon as they are able.
We encourage those who believe they are eligible for an additional dose to speak with their healthcare provider. If an additional dose is recommended to you, please reach out to your local pharmacy or healthcare provider to schedule an appointment. Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself and others against COVID-19. If you have not yet received your first dose, please do so as soon as you are able.
Last week, Governor J.B. Pritzker announced that the State of Illinois issued an updated Executive Order stating that masks be worn indoors by all Pre-K through 12th grade teachers, staff, students, and visitors. This guidance was adopted from the CDC’s recently updated Guidance for COVID-19 Prevention in K-12 Schools.
Students benefit the most from in-person learning. This guidance is meant to help keep students and staff safe by using layered prevention measures against COVID-19. These prevention measures include:
- Maintaining at least 3 feet of physical distance between students within classrooms
- 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
These prevention measures combined will help to reduce the COVID-19 transmission risk. More information and answers can be found on IDPH’s COVID-19 School Guidance FAQs page.
For students that are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, check out the CDCs COVID-19 Vaccines for Children and Teens page for more information on getting vaccinated against COVID-19.
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Currently authorized COVID-19 vaccines offer protection against severe illness and death, but no vaccine is 100% effective. Breakthrough infections in fully vaccinated people are uncommon but can happen. Breakthrough infections occur for a number of reasons, including in persons who have weakened immune systems (immunocompromised) that could not mount the optimal response from getting a vaccine. Even when the efficacy of a vaccine is high, like with the COVID-19 vaccine, there is still a chance of infection.
COVID-19 vaccines offer strong protection against most of the variants, but as people continue to become infected with SARS-CoV2, a replicating virus may mutate. When a virus mutates, new variants form. These variants can result in changes in characteristics of the virus making it more infectious or harmful. The Delta variant is nearly twice as contagious than the other variants and has led to the rapid spread of the virus, but mainly infecting unvaccinated people. It is important to note that while breakthrough infections occur, they are much less common and lead to less severe illness than among unvaccinated individuals with COVID-19.
By taking steps to protect yourself you can reduce your risk of COVID-19 infection and severe illness.
- Get vaccinated as soon as you are able if unvaccinated
- Wear a mask when in indoor public settings
- Watch your distance in crowded settings
- Wash your hands
Visit the AllVax Find a Vaccine page for COVID-19 vaccination locations near you.
The CDC COVID-19 Vaccine Breakthrough Case Investigation and Reporting page offers additional information.
August is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM). This annual observance highlights the importance of getting recommended vaccines throughout your life. We know the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all aspects of life, including your ability to attend important appointments and receive routine vaccinations. During NIAM, we encourage you to talk to your healthcare provider to ensure you and your family are protected against serious diseases by getting caught up on routine vaccinations.
Receiving routine vaccination is important at all stages in life. Visit the CDC’s Growing Up with Vaccines interactive guide, which provides information on the vaccines recommended during pregnancy, throughout childhood, and into adulthood. Additionally, adults can use the CDC’s Adult Vaccine Assessment Tool to find what vaccines they may need.
August is also a critical time for those who are eligible to get vaccinated against COVID-19. To learn more about getting a COVID-19 vaccination, check out the following CDC pages, Your COVID-19 Vaccination and COVID-19 Vaccines for Children and Teens.
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 It's easier than ever to get vaccinated thanks to our mobile vaccination sites located throughout Lake County. Locations and hours are posted weekly on our Facebook and Instagram page. You can register in advance on the AllVax Portal or walk-in during the hours listed.
 Even though summer is winding down, we are not done with mosquito season yet. The amount of rain we have received has increased. This recent increase has caused more standing water creating a perfect environment for mosquitoes. As people continue to enjoy the outdoors, it is important to protect yourself from mosquitoes. Practice the 4 Ds of Defense this mosquito season:
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Drain standing water from items around your home, yard, and business.
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Defend - Use insect repellent when outdoors.
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Dawn to Dusk - Protect yourself from morning to night, especially during prime times for mosquito activity.
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Dress - Wear long sleeves, pants, and closed toe shoes when outdoors to cover your skin.
Be sure to Fight the Bite and Follow the 4 Steps of Protection during mosquito and tick season! For more information and ways to stay safe, go to our website at www.FightTheBiteNow.com.
Gathering outdoors during COVID-19 continues to be the best option for groups, even with mosquitoes. It is important to continue to take precautions to protect yourself and your loved ones while together in a group setting. The CDC offers guidance and considerations for group gatherings.
 Many people have questions surrounding the current state of COVID-19, vaccines, and guidance. We asked Lake County Health Department Medical Epidemiologist Dr. Sana Ahmed the most common questions. Additional frequently asked questions can be found on the AllVax website in both English and Spanish. The Illinois Department of Public Health also offers an extensive frequently asked questions page.
The Illinois Department of Public Health launched a new immunization portal, Vax Verify, on Wednesday, August 11. This system allows Illinois residents ages 18 and older to check their COVID-19 vaccination record. Signing up is easy and there is a brief verification process that confirms your identity. Once your identity is verified, you will have access to your immunization history. Immunization records are kept confidential and only the individual can access their vaccination history. Visit Vax Verify to sign-up today.
Read the full IDPH press release for more information.
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If you or someone you know is struggling with meeting their health and other needs, the Lake County Health Department is here to help! Our Case Managers and Community Health Workers are dedicated to helping community members access and utilize the resources and support they need, including:
- COVID-19 vaccine education and sign-up
- Access to medical care
- Health education and support
- Food and medicine delivery for families in quarantine and isolation
- Transportation assistance for medical visits
- Access to food support
- Rent and utility assistance
- Mental health support
- Immigration support
- And more!
To get connected, call (847) 3778444 or email HLCommunityHelp@lakecountyil.gov.
- As of August 13, 2021, over 766,500 vaccine doses have been administered to Lake County residents and 378,070 residents (53.95% of the population) have been fully vaccinated.
- 85.09% of Lake County seniors ages 65 and older and 66.4% of those age 18-64 have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
- The county is averaging 1,675 doses administered per day on a 7-day rolling average.
- As of August 13, 2021, 64,157 Lake County residents have tested positive for COVID-19, including 1,032 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 (823 Wilke Rd.), and Rockford (1321 Sandy Hollow Rd.) 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.
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