DeKalb County back at ‘high’ risk for COVID-19; indoor masks recommended for all

As of Friday, DeKalb County is back at “high” risk for community transmission of COVID-19, according to the state health department.

As a result, indoor mask use and updated vaccines are recommended regardless of vaccination status, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

According to the IDPH’s community level coronavirus transmission risk assessments, 58 counties in Illinois – including Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, Lee, McHenry, Stephenson, Whiteside, Will and Winnebago counties – are now at high risk for community spread of the virus.

An additional 36 counties are at “medium” risk, a decrease of eight from the previous week.

State health officials said Friday the numbers should remind Illinoisans that “COVID-19 is still with us and still spreading.”

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends wearing a well-fitting mask in indoor public spaces, regardless of vaccination status, and staying up to date on vaccinations and boosters. People who test positive for COVID-19, who have symptoms or who have been exposure to someone with the virus should wear a mask.

According to state data, DeKalb County reports nearly 40 cases per every 100,000 residents, with 16% of ICU beds available in the county. As of Friday, 56.67% of DeKalb County residents are fully vaccinated, a status that health officials continue to emphasize offers the best chance at fighting more severe cases of infection, and warding off hospitalization.

Test results from at-home rapid tests do not get reported and are not counted in the official total.

DeKalb County’s virus death toll is at 201, with no new deaths reported this week.

[ Think you have COVID-19? Here’s when to test, how to isolate and what you should know ]

The IDPH also recommends anyone in high-risk communities, especially those with compromised immune systems, stay up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters. The CDC also recommends those 50 and older seek a second booster if they haven’t already, to ensure the strongest immune protection against the evolving variants of COVID-19.

If a person contracts or suspects they have COVID-19, they should follow testing and isolation protocols, including quarantining themselves until they confirm whether they have the virus and isolate until they test negative.

For community or public gatherings, workplaces and schools in high-risk areas, the IDPH recommends maintaining ample ventilation indoors, consider screening people expected to gather indoors, and ensure equitable access to testing, vaccination, treatment and other provisions.

When to test, what symptoms to look for

Rapid tests work best when used by someone already experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or administered five to seven days after exposure to the virus. If someone is experiencing symptoms and tests negative on a rapid test, health officials have said those people are strongly encouraged to retest themselves. They also can seek out a PCR molecular test – a nasal swab test which is sent to a lab and offered at most pharmacies in the area – for more accurate results. PCR tests can be scheduled by appointment at area pharmacies and clinics, including Walgreens, CVS and Physicians Immediate Care.

Unlike previous strains of COVID-19, the omicron variants might not present with a loss of taste or smell. Instead, many are reporting feeling cold or flu-like symptoms, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In general, watch for fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea.

For a non-exhaustive list of testing sites, go to dph.illinois.gov/testing.

To find a vaccine available near you, visit the DeKalb County Health Department’s website at www.health.dekalbcounty.org/about/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccination or www.vaccines.gov.

The DeKalb County Health Department also provides COVID-19 vaccines to all eligible (those 5 and older) throughout the week at its building, 2550 N. Annie Glidden Road in DeKalb. Walk-ins are accepted from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Vaccines offered include pediatric doses for children 5 to 11, first and second doses of Moderna and Pfizer, the single-dose Johnson & Johnson and boosters.