Friday, November 6, 2020 ● Volume 1, Issue 36
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County Board NEWSLETTER
The COVID-19 Weekly Update will provide current information and resources for DuPage County. We encourage you to share this information widely through our community. If you have any questions, contact Dennis Brennan.
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Mobile COVID-19 Testing Offered in
DuPage County
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DuPage County— The DuPage County Health Department (DCHD) is informing residents of upcoming mobile COVID-19 testing opportunities that will be available in DuPage County next week. The mobile testing site will be managed by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and will travel to Elmhurst and Glendale Heights to provide additional testing resources to individuals.
Monday, Nov. 9 and Tuesday, Nov. 10
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m
Churchville Middle School
155 E Victory Pkwy, Elmhurst, IL 60126
Thursday, Nov. 12 and Thursday, Nov. 19
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Glendale Heights Aquatics Center
240 Civic Center Plaza, Glendale Heights, IL 60139
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As DuPage County continues to experience a concerning rise in COVID-19 cases, there has been a greater demand for testing. Mobile community-based testing will provide accessible resources for individuals to acquire testing.
“Testing plays a key role in our efforts to contain and mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic by identifying infected individuals to help prevent further person-to-person transmission of COVID-19,” said Karen Ayala, Executive Director at the DuPage County Health Department. “Anyone who is experiencing symptoms, or who has been exposed to an infected person, should stay home and get tested 5-7 days after the exposure."
Anyone can be tested, regardless of symptoms or immigration status. There is no cost to the individual for testing, but they should bring their insurance card if they have one. However, insurance is not required. Specimens will be collected using a simple nasal swab. Drive-through and walk-up testing are both available at most locations.
Anyone who is tested needs to stay home and self-isolate until they receive notification of a negative result. If they receive a positive result, they will receive additional instruction and support on isolation and contact tracing. DCHD has received frequent reports of persons who were tested being onsite at work, for example, when they received the notification call with their positive result. Staying home to self-isolate is a critical step to slowing the spread of COVID-19.
“Although testing is an important mitigation strategy, we need the public to practice the prevention behaviors that we know are effective in slowing the spread of this virus. This means only leaving your home for essential activities, always wearing a mask when around others who are not from your household, keeping a physical distance of at least 6 feet from others, and washing your hands frequently” said Ayala.
For information on other community-based testing locations throughout the state of Illinois, please refer to dph.illinois.gov/testing.
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Testing Site Locations in DuPage County |
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The DuPage County Health Department reminds residents that there are various COVID-19 testing locations throughout DuPage County. For a list of testing locations near you including CVS and Physicians Immediate Care, visit the IDPH Testing webpage.
Additionally, Walgreens also offers COVID-19 testing.
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Health Department
Reminds Residents to Practice 3 Ws
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When individuals wear a mask, watch their distance, and wash their hands, they help protect themselves, their family, and their community from COVID-19. This PSA reminds residents to practice these 3-simple steps to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in DuPage County.
Please support the Health Department in sharing this message. The PSA is available in here.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Every week, the DuPage County Health Department will be sharing the most frequently asked questions about the coronavirus pandemic to help educate and inform county residents. For the week of November 2, 2020 the FAQs are:
Q: Why are restaurants and bars being “singled out” during regional mitigation?
A: Restaurants and bars are considered environments where transmission can occur at higher levels due to more social gatherings indoors without physical distancing, tighter spaces and inherent removing of masks for eating and drinking, while talking and releasing droplets in close proximity over the course of one to two hours. According to a recent CDC study, “Adults with confirmed COVID-19 (case-patients) were approximately twice as likely as were control-participants to have reported dining at a restaurant in the 14 days before becoming ill. In addition to dining at a restaurant, case-patients were more likely to report going to a bar/coffee shop”.
Q: What are the metrics that the Governor’s office is using to identify restaurants as a setting to minimize gatherings (rather than grocery stores, retail, etc.)?
A: While the Governor has not yet publicly disclosed the reports highlighting this information it is our understanding the information will be released soon. Meanwhile it is important to acknowledge visits to grocery or retail locations are likely shorter in duration on average than a sit-down meal at a restaurant where persons dining together are typically seated within six feet of each other without masks and, importantly, a mask can be worn throughout the entire visit to a grocery store or retail setting. Further, it is important to understand the risk level as identified by the CDC:
Guiding Principles to Keep in Mind
The more an individual interacts with others, and the longer that interaction, the higher the risk of COVID-19 spread. The risk of COVID-19 spread increases in a restaurant or bar setting as follows:
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Lowest Risk: Food service limited to drive-through, delivery, take-out, and curb-side pick up.
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More Risk: Drive-through, delivery, take-out, and curb-side pick up emphasized. On-site dining limited to outdoor seating. Seating capacity reduced to allow tables to be spaced at least 6 feet apart.
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Even More Risk: On-site dining with both indoor and outdoor seating. Seating capacity reduced to allow tables to be spaced at least 6 feet apart.
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Highest Risk: On-site dining with both indoor and outdoor seating. Seating capacity not reduced, and tables not spaced at least 6 feet apart.
Q: Isn't it obvious that if the super spreader events, like large home gatherings, are the major cause of the increase of the virus, that eliminating restaurants would only cause more people to gather together in homes, where social distancing and mask wearing would certainly not be followed, as they are in restaurants?
A: First, we need to limit any form of indoor gatherings as much as possible, including in both homes and restaurants/bars. We must emphasize preventive actions in all indoor settings, and one should not come at the expense of the other. Practicing the 3 W’s (wear a mask, watch your distance by keeping at least 6-feet apart, and wash your hands) always is vitally important if congregating with others outside your household in any setting. Unfortunately, with current community transmission at a very high level, it remains difficult to definitively identify true sources of exposure in many instances and it is challenging to ensure people are using masks correctly throughout the duration of social gatherings in any setting. Staying connected virtually with family and friends is encouraged as much as possible to prevent COVID-19 spread.
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COVID-19 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES |
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Flu Vaccine Voucher Program DuPage County |
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This year, it’s more important than ever to make sure everyone in your family gets a flu vaccine. Getting your flu shot will help to keep you, your family, and your community safe and can help you avoid co-infection of COVID-19 and the flu.
The DuPage Health Coalition is joining partners in DuPage County to make it easier for all of individuals to stay healthy and flu-free. With funding provided by DuPage County, DHC is offering free flu vaccine vouchers to uninsured DuPage County residents whose financial circumstances make it difficult to get their annual flu shot.
Vouchers will be sent to individuals who request them (by email or mail) and can be redeemed at any DuPage County Walgreens until December 31st, while supplies last.
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Pillars Community Health
COVID-19 Testing in Willowbrook
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Pillars Community Health offers drive-up testing for COVID-19 across the street from Burr Ridge Middle School in Burr Ridge.
Limited tests available; appointment required; please call 708-PILLARS (708-745-5277) .
Testing is available on Tuesdays from 8:30 - 11 am and Thursdays from 8:30 - 11:30 am to
anyone with symptoms of COVID-19; or anyone with a known exposure to COVID-19 (have been in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19); or asymptomatic, high-risk patients, first responders, health care workers, or essential workers who wish to be tested.
Please note, testing is available at Anne M. Jeans School by appointment only.
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VNA Health Care COVID-19 Testing |
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VNA Health Care offers COVID-19 testing by appointment only to new and existing patients with or without symptoms.
Community mobile testing clinics are also available in Bensenville and West Chicago through VNA Health Care.
VNA Mobile Clinic at St. Alexis Catholic Church
400 W Wood Ave, Bensenville, IL, 60106
VNA Mobile Clinic at St. Andrew's Church
155 N Prince Crossing Rd, West Chicago, IL, 60185
To schedule an appointment, call (630) 892-4355 or (847) 717-6455.
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Illinois COVID-19 Hotline and Email Address |
If you have questions about Coronavirus - Call the Illinois Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Hotline:
Both are available anytime, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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Friday, November 6, 2020 ● Volume 1, Issue 36
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