NEWS

Here's why Henry & Stark counties' COVID status was moved up a notch Friday

Mike Helenthal
Star Courier

The Henry & Stark County Health Department announces that both Henry and Stark County have moved to “Medium” Community Level on the CDC Covid-19 Data Tracker map. 

The CDC’s new COVID-19 Community Level tool classifies every county in the U.S. into low, medium, or high. Knowing the COVID-19 Community Level in your area will help determine what prevention measures are needed to protect yourself and your loved ones, as well as decrease strain on hospitals and health systems.

Residents of Counties at “Medium” Community Level should:

  • Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines. 
  • Get tested if you have symptoms.
  • Wear a mask if you have symptoms, a positive test, or exposure to someone with COVID-19.
  • Wear a mask on public transportation. You may choose to wear a mask at any time as an additional precaution to protect yourself and others. If you are at high risk for severe illness, consider wearing a mask indoors in public and taking additional precautions.

The CDC Data Tracker “COVID-19 Community Levels” map.

COVID-19 Community Levels are a tool to help communities decide what prevention steps to take based on the latest data. Levels are determined by looking at hospital beds being used, hospital admissions, and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in an area. Take precautions to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 based on the COVID-19 Community Level in your area.  People may choose to mask at any time. Please note, people with symptoms, a positive test, or exposure to someone with COVID-19 should wear a mask.

To account for the risk of community spread among more vulnerable populations, Illinois will continue to require masks in the following settings: Healthcare Settings; Long-Term Care Facilities; and Congregate Settings.

Municipalities and businesses in most industries may choose to continue to implement more strict public health mitigations as they deem appropriate, including requiring masks. Remember to be kind to those who choose to wear a mask based on their own health, level of comfort, and life circumstances.

For a reference of the most current status of COVID-19 in the State please visit the Illinois Department of Public Health’s Covid-19 webpage at https://dph.illinois.gov/covid19.html