E-Newsletter: November 25, 2020
City Hall will be closed on
Thursday, November 26th and Friday, November 27th.
Thursday and Friday refuse pickup
will be delayed one day due to the holiday.
Happy Thanksgiving!
2,016 cases reported in Elmhurst as of 11/21/20.
Make a Plan to Play it Safe this Holiday Season
We understand that this year, holiday gatherings may not be what anyone had hoped for, however we are asking our community members to take the safety precautions necessary to protect themselves, their friends, family and our community from COVID-19. Since COVID-19 has impacted our society, we have missed out on many community and family traditions. Fall and winter celebrations, such as Thanksgiving, Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe, Hanukah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, and New Year’s, typically include large gatherings of families and friends, crowded parties, and travel that may put people at increased risk for COVID-19. Before you celebrate, please consider these Holiday Season Safety Tips provided by IDPH.

DuPage County Announces a New Drive-Thru COVID-19 Testing Site
In response to the exponential spread of COVID-19 cases and the increased need for testing, the DuPage County Health Department is announcing the addition of a second community-based drive-thru testing site to provide additional testing resources in DuPage County. 

The additional COVID-19 testing site will be located at the Odeum Expo Center (1033 N Villa Avenue) in Villa Park, Illinois, and will open on Monday, Nov. 23. The week of Thanksgiving the site will be operational Monday, Nov. 23 through Wednesday, Nov. 25 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., or until the daily test capacity of 600 tests is completed each day. The week of Nov. 29, the site will operate from Sunday, Nov. 29 through Friday, Dec. 4 with the same hours and test capacity.

Anyone can be tested, and no appointment, doctor referral, or insurance is required. Visitors are encouraged to pre-register at testdirectly.com/dupage, but pre-registration does not guarantee testing or a place in line for that day. For more information about how to prepare before your visit and what to expect, visit www.dupagehealth.org/covid19testing.

Restore Illinois Tier 3 Mitigations
The State of Illinois is currently under Tier 3 mitigation orders. The latest round of mitigations aims to limit gatherings and encourages residents to stay home as much as possible and follow proper safety measures when out in public. The mitigations carefully balance the paramount goal of saving lives while preserving the option for in-person learning for children and protecting as much of the economy as possible from the continued impacts of the virus. 

The first tiers of the Resurgence Mitigation Plan initially suppressed the virus and protected the progress Illinois made towards bending the curve during the Spring, while allowing each of the state’s eleven regions to progress through the phases based on local metrics. But with COVID-19 spread now exponential in every region of the state, our statewide positivity rate at record highs and hospitalizations already surpassing our Spring peak, an additional tier of more stringent, statewide mitigations is required to combat the surge and preserve hospital capacity. 

While this latest round of mitigations does not include a stay at home order, if the mitigations are not adhered to and cases continue to rise in the weeks ahead, another order may be required. For all regions, additional mitigation measures taking effect Friday, November 20th include guidance for the following settings and industries: 
 
  • Retail
  • Personal Car Services
  • Health and Fitness Centers
  • Hotels
  • Manufacturing
  • Bars and Restaurants
  • Meetings and Social Events
  • Offices
  • Organized Group Recreational Activities 
  • Indoor Recreation, Theater, Cultural Institutions

As they have since the start of COVID-19, grocery stores across the state will remain open and available. Child care facilities may continue to operate subject to guidelines from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. School districts and officials should continue to follow the extensive guidance released by the Illinois State Board of Education in August to make decisions related to in-person and remote learning at the local level. 

To prevent the further spread of COVID-19, Illinois residents are urged to stay home as much as possible and celebrate upcoming holidays with members of their household. Illinoisans over the age of two years are required to wear a face covering when out in public and social distancing is not easily achievable. Anyone exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 or who may have been in contact with someone exhibiting symptoms should seek out testing and quarantine at home; anyone who has tested positive for the virus should isolate at home as directed by their physician or local health department.

IDPH will continue to track the positivity rates and hospital capacity metrics in regions over a 14-day monitoring periods to determine if mitigations can be relaxed, if additional mitigations are required, or if current mitigation should remain in place. In order for a region to move back to Tier 2 mitigations, a region must experience less than 7-day 12 percent test positivity average for three consecutive days AND greater than 20 percent available intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital bed availability for three consecutive days AND declining 7-day COVID hospitalizations average in 7 out of the last 10 days.
Elmhurst Loves Local Contest!
Kicking off on Small Business Saturday, this virtual contest encourages individuals to support all Elmhurst businesses. 
Elmhurst Commission on Youth Virtual Event
The City of Elmhurst Commission on Youth is hosting a series of "Youth Issues During Covid". Our first virtual event is: "Anxiety in kids during COVID-19"
This is an annual collection of cooking oil that takes place the Saturday after Thanksgiving. On November 28th, bring your used cooking oil to the Public Works Facility at 985 S. Riverside Drive in Elmhurst from 9 am- noon where the oil will be collected and recycled. Dumping in the sewer system can lead to problem with your line or the public system. Read on...
The DuPage County Health Department will offer a free drive-thru flu clinic for residents, ages 18 years to 65 years old, to be vaccinated from the convenience of their vehicle on Wednesday, Nov. 18, and Friday, Nov. 20, 2020 from 1-4 pm at the DuPage County Fairgrounds. Read on at https://bit.ly/3lDWKJc.
The Elmhurst Fire Department has organized a toy drive to benefit children at Elmhurst Hospital this holiday season. New, unwrapped toys for children of all ages will be collected at Fire Station #1, 404 N. York Street, Fire Station #2, 601 S. York Street, and City Hall 209 N. York St. Toys will be accepted now through December 10th. For more information about the toy collection, please call 630-530-3090.
A free leaf collection for residents who live within city limits will take place on December 2-4, on your regular refuse collection day. Leaves must be kept separated from other yard waste and placed at the curb in clearly marked cans, cardboard boxes, or Kraft paper bags. Cans and boxes will be left on the parkway following collection.
City of Elmhurst Mitten Tree
Help kids, teens, and adults stay warm this winter by donating gloves, mittens, scarves and socks to our Mitten Tree. Fasten your donations on the Christmas tree in the center foyer of City Hall (209 N. York St.).
Recycling lights at Courts Plus (186 S. West Avenue), Elmhurst Park District Admin Office (375 W First St.), Wagner Community Center (615 N. West Ave.), The Abbey (407 W Saint Charles Rd), or City Hall (209 N. York St.) thru Monday, January 25.
EAT LOCAL 60126!
The Elmhurst 2020 Fall Restaurant Guide is available online with updated restaurant information - please support our local restaurants with delivery or takeout - Choose to Eat Local!

City of Elmhurst
630-530-3000 
Weekdays: 8:30am - 5pm