Illinois identifies schools with COVID exposure risk. What does that mean for families?

ROCKFORD — As COVID-19 cases continue to rise across the state, more schools are being cited as possible locations for exposure to the coronavirus.

“With our case rate being as high as it's been with new cases, this does not surprise me,” said Sandra Martell, Winnebago County public health administrator. “We're seeing more cases in children right now with the return to school. It’s where they spend most of their time.”

Referred to as “potential exposure locations,” the Illinois Department of Public Health has reported 66 schools in Winnebago County as potential sources. Schools in nearby counties of Boone, Ogle, Stephenson, Peoria and Sangamon also have been listed. Statewide, there are 1,472 schools with potential exposure.

“We ask people to recall where you have been in the last 14 days,” Martell said, “and so most of us, if we're fortunate we're employed, so it'll be our place of work. For children, it will be school.”

The list of schools in Winnebago County aren’t what families should be concerned about, Martell said. It just means that when someone tests positive for COVID, they do contract tracing. Children spend more time at school so when asked where they have visited in the last 14 days, school comes up as a possible place of origin.

Here is what the site shares for the following counties:

Winnebago

Schools with potential exposure: 66

Outbreaks: Durand and Hononegah High School

Boone

Schools with potential exposure: 11

Outbreaks: 0

Ogle

Schools with potential exposure: 13

Outbreaks: Highland Elementary School, Oregon Elementary School, Stillman Valley

Stephenson

Schools with potential exposure: 1

Outbreaks: 0

Peoria

Schools with potential exposure: 12

Outbreaks: St. Jude Catholic School

Sangamon 

Schools with potential exposure: 43

Outbreaks: Ball Charter School, Chatham High School, Iles School, Pleasant Plains Middle School, Williamsville High School

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Martell said people need to understand that the potential to exposure is population driven. It’s important to look at how many schools are in a community.

The outbreaks are what families should watch out for. That is when the health department identifies two or more people from different households who may have shared exposure at school, although that’s not always the case.

“There may be two cases in the school, but they may not be epidemiologically linked,” she said. “You could be in the first grade and I could be in the eighth grade, but we never see each other and we don't ride on the same bus, so we're not linked.”

If an outbreak occurs and students who test positive are linked back to the same extracurricular activities or lunch table, that is a reason to worry, Martell said.

“This is the one that really should be more concerning right because this is where we've got documented transmission within a school environment, not just cases being reported,” Martell said.

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The largest unvaccinated population are children and youth, according to IDPH data. Only 32% of the 12-17 group are vaccinated.

“The challenge is that you are much more likely to be infected and to require significant care if you are unvaccinated,” Martell said. “We have an obligation to protect those vulnerable in our community.

“If you're a family parent, guardian of a child who's eligible for vaccination, get factual information, talk to your health care providers so you can understand more about the benefits of vaccination, It's really going to take all of us working together to get us through this pandemic.”

Schools have been implementing mitigations that include social distancing (3 feet), testing, wearing masks, testing and contact tracing.

Andrea V. Watson: awatson@rrstar.com; @andreavwatson12