Will County’s COVID-19 hospitalizations, cases fall to lowest point since July

The numbers of new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations have continued to fall over the past week to the lowest levels since last July.

As of Thursday, there were about 32 COVID-19 patients in the hospital in the South Suburban Region, which includes Will and Kankakee counties, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Will County’s rolling average COVID-19 test positivity rate stood at 2.5% as of last Tuesday.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website listed Will County as having low levels of community transmission. Still, almost 1,500 people in Will County have died of COVID-19, according to the IDPH.

The trends mirror the state as a whole with cases and hospitalizations declining.

Sue Olenek, the executive director of the Will County Health Department, said during a Will County Board Public Health & Safety Committee meeting this past week that she hopes the improving numbers mean the pandemic is moving to more of an endemic phase.

Olenek also acknowledged the slowing of vaccinations in the county. Fewer than 700 shots are being administered a day in Will County, according to the IDPH.

“The demand has greatly decreased for vaccinations,” she said.

She added the efforts to vaccinate Will County’s nearly 700,000 residents have been quite successful over the past year.

About 65.3% of residents are fully vaccinated and about 71.6% haver received at least one dose.

This includes:

• 90.3% of residents age 65 and up are fully vaccinated.

• 71.4% of residents age 18 to 64 are fully vaccinated.

• 62.4% of residents age 12 to 17 are fully vaccinated.

• 32.5% of residents age 5 to 11 are fully vaccinated.

More than 223,000 booster shots have been administered.

The Will County Health Department announced this month that it will begin to offer free drive-up COVID-19 PCR testing at its main office at 501 Ella Ave. in Joliet.

Testing will continue from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. from Monday to Thursday.

Those interested in getting tested are asked to drive up, complete a short registration process and give a self-test as directed. There will not be any need to leave the vehicle during the process.

Participants should enter from Neal Avenue and move to the north end of the parking lot. Test results will be emailed to participants as soon as two days after the test.

For information, including where to find the nearest vaccine clinic, visit willcountyhealth.org or call 815-774-7386.