Governor Pritzker announced that Illinois will be reintroducing a mask mandate in indoor public settings, regardless of vaccination status, for everyone ages 2 and older starting Monday, August 30. All counties in Illinois continue to experience “high” levels of transmission. Additionally, there has been an increased in the number of people with COVID-19 that require an ICU bed, resulting in the number of ICU bed availability to decline.
In addition to announcing a mask mandate, new vaccination requirements for public school teachers in Illinois will go into effect on September 5. Those who are unvaccinated will be tested for COVID-19 at least once a week.
On Monday, August 23, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. It is the first COVID-19 vaccine to be approved by the FDA. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, as it has been known, will be marketed as Comirnaty.
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine became available under Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) in December 2020 for those ages 16 and older. The EUA was expanded in May 2021 to include the ages 12-15. At this time, full approval of the vaccine is for ages 16 and older. The vaccine continues to be available under EUA for individuals 12-15 years of age and for an additional dose for immunocompromised individuals.
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On August 18, a joint statement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the CDC was released about a plan for COVID-19 boosters. The plan states that booster shots are expected to be available in the fall. At this time, the plan only includes those that received the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.
Booster shots are meant for those that had a strong initial immune response to the two-dose series of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna). The vaccine may have waned over time and a booster can help an individual stay protected. An additional dose differs from a booster and may be needed when an individual did not have a strong initial response to the vaccine. Additional doses are only authorized at this time for moderately to severely immunocompromised individuals. If you believe you may need an additional dose, please speak to your healthcare provider.
Communications regarding boosters for those who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is expected in the future.
 Click the image above to view a larger version of the guidelines
Providing students with in-person learning opportunities, in a healthy and safe environment remains the highest priority. There are several different quarantine options for unvaccinated students and staff who are exposed to COVID-19.
14-Day Quarantine
A 14-day quarantine is considered the ‘gold standard’ quarantine by the CDC and health experts. Schools may choose to require unvaccinated/partially vaccinated close contacts (within 3 feet with masking of an infected person and close contact, or within 6 feet with improper masking) to quarantine for 14 days from the last date of exposure. This is the length of quarantine for a person exposed to COVID-19. Individuals return to school on day 15.
10-day Quarantine
To qualify for a 10-day quarantine, individuals who have been identified as a close contact may end their quarantine after day 10 if no symptoms of COVID-19 have developed. A COVID-19 negative PCR test is recommended between days 5-7 . On day 11, individuals can return to school activities if they can maintain social distancing and wear a mask during days 11–14 after exposure.
7-Day Quarantine
Individuals may qualify for a 7-day quarantine if:
- Both the positive case and the close contact were wearing masks at the time of exposure.
- Parents/guardians cooperate with the Lake County Health Department contact tracers.
- The individual has a negative PCR test on day 6 or 7 after exposure. Home tests and antigen tests are not approved for this purpose.
Individuals must wear a mask and social distance upon returning to school. The Lake County Health Department is the only authority who can authorize a 7-day quarantine on a case-by-case basis. Note: this option is only permitted by the Health Department for the school and will not be applied to other community exposures to COVID-19.
Test to Stay
Test to Stay is a trial program that allows those identified as close contacts in a school setting to stay in school, with required testing on days one, three, five, and seven after exposure. During Test to Stay, individuals can continue to participate in school-related extracurriculars, however, students need to quarantine outside of school. Quarantining outside of school means that students and faculty should only go between home and school during the Test to Stay time period and avoid contact with anyone outside of their household.
Vaccinated Individuals
Students and staff who are fully vaccinated with no symptoms do not need to quarantine or be restricted from school or extracurricular activities. The CDC recommends that fully vaccinated individuals test three to five days after an exposure to a positive case. However, if an individual becomes symptomatic, they will need to isolate immediately.
The Lake County Suicide Prevention Task Force is hosting their 9th Annual 5K Walk for Awareness and Suicide Prevention.
When: Saturday, September 25, 2021
Time: 10 am – 1 pm
Location: Virtual
Cost:
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Adults: $ 20
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Children, Over 12: $ 10
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Children, 12 and under: Free
All proceeds go to the Lake County Suicide Prevention Task Force and support our mission to prevent suicide and promote mental health awareness in Lake County through outreach events, professional training and community educationbecause one suicide is too many.
At this time, both Lake and McHenry County continue to experience a high level community transmission. It is encouraged that all those who are eligible to get vaccinated do so. The best way to prevent COVID-19 infection and severe illness is to get vaccinated.
Additionally, residents, including fully vaccinated individuals, are urged to wear a mask in indoor public settings when community transmission levels are “substantial” or “high.”
Those that are fully vaccinated but have been around someone who has COVID-19 should get tested three to five days after exposure, even if they don't have symptoms. Those who test positive should isolate for 10 days
 Mobile vaccination sites are 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.
During the pandemic, another devastating health crisis has grown. Drug overdose deaths rose by close to 30% in the United States in 2020, hitting the highest number ever recorded, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported last month. More than 93,000 people died from drug overdoses in 2020. The surge was driven by inappropriate use of opioids as well as pandemic-related stressors and problems in accessing care.
Prescription opioids are important pain medications that can provide relief for acute or chronic pain. Misuse of prescription opioids increases the risk of developing opioid use disorder (OUD) and may lead to overdose.
Opioids are addictive and can be deadly. Taking opioids at high doses for extended periods of time increases the risk of developing OUD. Characteristics of OUD include developing physical tolerance, as early as two days following continuous use, being unable to stop using opioids consistently, and experiencing painful physical withdrawal symptoms when abruptly stopping use. High doses can cause people to stop breathing and die. Drug overdoses are now the leading cause of death in the United States for people under the age of 50.
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Learn about the risks of opioids
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Learn about naloxone that can block or reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, along with its availability and how to use it
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Help people struggling with opioid use disorder to find the right care and treatment
Additional Help and Resources:
Illinois Helpline for Opioids and Other Substances 24/7 – 365 Helpline services are always free and confidential. Anyone can use the Helpline, whether you’re struggling with a substance use disorder or care about someone who is. Call 833-234-6343 anytime, 24 hours a day, 365 days.
Lake County Opioid Initiative: The Lake County Opioid Initiative is a county-wide collaborative organization trying to reduce the use of opioids and other substances in the county. For more information, visit the Lake County Opioid website at https://www.opioidinitiative.org/.
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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