Monday, August 9, 2021 Volume 2, Issue 19
(630) 682-7400 www.dupagehealth.org
Governor Pritzker announces mask requirements for P-12 schools and long-term care facilities to prevent the spread of the Delta variant.
Wednesday, August 4, 2021

As COVID-19 infection rates across the state continue to increase, Governor Pritzker announced masks will be required for students, teachers, and staff at pre-kindergarten-12th grade schools and day cares across the state. The governor announced his intent to require all state employees working in congregate facilities to receive the COVID-19 vaccine by October 4th. Additionally, the state is requiring universal masking in private long-term care facilities.


COVID-19 Vaccinations are Safe, Effective, and More Critical Than Ever
COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to rise, and DuPage County remains in Substantial transmission according to county-level data from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The DuPage County Health Department (DCHD) is once again strongly urging eligible residents to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as possible. In DuPage County, over 99.9 percent of hospitalized and deceased COVID-19 cases since mid-December 2020 have been in persons not fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Vaccination continues to be the best form of protection against COVID-19, including the Delta variant, and helps prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death in fully vaccinated people.

According to the latest CDC COVID-19 vaccination data, 83 percent of eligible residents 12 years and older in DuPage County have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, and 66 percent are fully vaccinated. Of residents 65 years and older, 99 percent have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, and 83 percent are fully vaccinated. However, among 12 to 17-year-olds in DuPage County, 68 percent have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, and only 49 percent are fully vaccinated.

Although the risk of COVID-19-related hospitalization and death is lower in children than adults, the risk is not zero, and no number of pediatric deaths is acceptable for any family or community, particularly when we have effective mitigation strategies to prevent the spread of this illness. Furthermore, infected children and adolescents are efficient at spreading COVID-19 in households, schools, and communities to adults who may be at greater risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death. DCHD strongly recommends the practice of those simple, safe, and highly effective measures available to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and incidence of pediatric hospitalizations and deaths, including vaccination of all eligible persons, universal indoor masking, and physical distancing.



Get Vaccinated Against COVID-19 in DuPage
COVID-19 vaccines are free and available to anyone 12 years and older. There are now many locations available to get your COVID-19 vaccine in DuPage County. To find a COVID-19 vaccine provider near you, visit www.vaccines.gov.

The DuPage County Health Department also offers COVID-19 vaccinations on a walk-in basis in Wheaton, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For more information, visit dupagehealth.org/covid19vaccineclinic.

The Care Van is Bringing Care to the Community
The Care Van will make stops in various locations across the County during the month of August. People will be able to walk up to the Care Van and receive a COVID-19 vaccination from a Health Department nurse. The clinic is free, and open to all people 12 years or older, including those who do not have health insurance or legal immigration status. The Care Van will offer either the Pfizer vaccine which requires two doses 21 days apart or the one dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Stop The Spread: Get Tested for COVID-19
Testing remains essential to detecting, monitoring, and curbing the spread of COVID-19 and the variants in our community. DCHD encourages individuals (regardless of vaccination status) who have taken part in activities that put them at higher risk for COVID-19 including travel, attending large social or mass gatherings (including the recent Lollapalooza Chicago music festival), or being in crowded or poorly-ventilated indoor settings to get tested.

For more information about when to get tested for COVID-19 and the types of tests available, visit www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/testing.html.


The DuPage County Health Department offers a community-based drive-thru testing site to residents. Anyone can be tested, and no appointment, doctor referral, or insurance is required. Visitors are encouraged to pre-register at testdirectly.com. Please note: Pre-registration does not guarantee testing or a place in line for that day.

1033 N. Villa Avenue, Villa Park, IL
Monday - Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

To find additional testing locations in DuPage County, visit www.dupagehealth.org/covid19testing.  
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Every week, the DuPage County Health Department will be sharing the most frequently asked questions (FAQ) about the coronavirus pandemic to help educate and inform county residents. For a list of additional FAQ, visit COVID-19: Frequently Asked Questions.


Is it safe to have children begin the school year in-person?

In-person learning is critical for the educational and social development of students of all ages. The top priority is to ensure that schools open and operate in a manner that prioritizes the health and safety of students, teachers, school staff, their families, and the community. Preventing the spread of COVID-19, keeping children healthy, and meeting their educational and social needs are not mutually exclusive goals.

The CDC has made recommendations for how schools can safely open, emphasizing that approaches should be informed by local trends. For that reason, safety and prevention protocols and strategies will vary across the country. The CDC continues to recommend that all adolescents and adults age 12 and older get a COVID-19 vaccine, coupled with other mitigation strategies including mask-wearing by unvaccinated people (students and adults), ventilation, cleaning and disinfecting, screening and testing, and other precautions such as distancing, hand-washing, and staying home when sick.



If I am fully vaccinated and a close contact to someone who has
COVID-19, do I need to get tested?

Yes. On July 27, the CDC added a recommendation for fully vaccinated people who have a known exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 to be tested 3-5 days after exposure, and to wear a mask in public indoor settings for 14 days or until they receive a negative test result.

Infections in fully vaccinated people (breakthrough infections) happen in only a small proportion of people who are fully vaccinated, even with the Delta variant. Moreover, when these infections occur among vaccinated people, they tend to be mild.

However, preliminary evidence suggests that fully vaccinated people who do become infected with the Delta variant can be infectious and can spread the virus to others.
COVID-19 VACCINE EDUCATION AND OUTREACH RESOURCES
COVID-19 Vaccine in DuPage County (Flyer)
Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines
(Flyer)
About the COVID-19 Vaccines (Flyer)
OTHER HEALTH NEWS

Fight the Bite to Protect Your Family from West Nile Virus this Summer
This week, the DuPage County Personal Protection Index (PPI) is at Risk Level 1, indicating a localized abundance of active mosquitoes and climate conditions favorable for development of virus. At this time, residents should remove standing water around their homes and use insect repellant when spending time outdoors.

Residents are also encouraged to report dead birds on the Health Department’s website by accessing the Citizen Reporter and clicking the Health Reporter option to submit their report. Dead birds can often be an early sign of the presence of WNV in the environment.

The Health Department monitors WNV activity by collecting and testing mosquitoes in traps located throughout the county. The PPI widget will be updated by 3 p.m. each Wednesday throughout the WNV season.

View the PPI widget at



Protect Your Children with Routine Vaccinations
As your child heads back to school, make sure they have everything they need, including all of their routinely recommended childhood vaccinations. Routine childhood vaccinations are an important way to ensure that your child and community remain healthy and protected against serious diseases, like measles and whooping cough. Check with your child’s doctor to make sure your child is up to date. 

For more information about vaccines and the diseases they prevent, visit these resources from the CDC:

If you have questions about vaccines, talk to your child’s healthcare provider.

Monday, August 9, 2021 Volume 2, Issue 19
(630) 682-7400 www.dupagehealth.org