Grundy County provides COVID-19 update

MORRIS – The Grundy County Health Department provides information about vaccination efforts, cases, county and regional metrics.

Vaccination

Illinois Department of Public Health data shows that about 54% of Grundy County’s eligible population (residents age 12 and older) is fully vaccinated, or 46.69% of the county’s population.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that people who are immunocompromised may consider obtaining a third dose after consulting with a physician. Included in the CDC’s recommendation are people with a range of conditions, such as recipients of organ or stem cell transplants, people with advanced or untreated HIV infection, active recipients of treatment for cancer, people who are taking some medications that weaken the immune system, and others.

The CDC does not recommend additional doses or booster shots for any other population at this time. More direction is forthcoming regarding boosters. More information is intended to be available soon.

Vaccination efforts continue through the Grundy County Health Department and local retail pharmacies.

Appointments for Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson are available each week through the health department and may be scheduled by calling 815-941-3404.

A walk-in clinic offering the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines is planned this weekend in Morris. Residents of any county may attend the clinic, which is scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Grundy County Administration Building, 1320 Union St. in Morris.

The Moderna and J&J vaccines are available to those age 18 and older.

The Pfizer vaccine is available to those age 12 years or older. Those younger than age 14 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Those between the ages of 14 and 17 must be accompanied by another adult and have a completed minor consent form if a parent/legal guardian is not present. Minor consent forms can be found on the health department website at grundyhealth.com.

Cases

To date, the total number of positive cases in Grundy County is 6,868, with 81 residents who have passed away as a result of COVID-19 complications.

The Grundy County Health Department currently is following 95 people who have recently tested positive and are in isolation, along with each of their close contacts.

Grundy County, like most of Illinois, remains at an “orange” warning level this week, according to the IDPH. Orange indicates that there are warning signs of increased COVID-19 risk in the community. Below are the updated metrics for Grundy County.

• New cases per 100,000: The number of new cases per 100,000 people in Grundy County last week was 277, up from 251 the previous week.

• Number of deaths: The number of deaths in Grundy County last week was zero, down from one the previous week.

• Test positivity percentage: The test positivity percentage in Grundy County last week was 8.1%, down from 9% the previous week.

• Tests performed: The number of tests performed in Grundy County last week was 2,015, up from 1,669 the previous week.

• Emergency department visits for COVID-19-like illness: The percentage of COVID-19-like illness visits to the emergency department among adults in Grundy County last week was 5.5%, down from 9.6% the previous week.

• Number of COVID-19-like illness admissions: The number of COVID-19-like illnesses admitted to the hospital in Grundy County last week was fewer than five, down from 13 the previous week.

• Clusters: The percentage of cases that were caused by clusters in Grundy County last week was 0.8%, down from 1% the previous week.

• Intensive care unit bed availability: The percentage of ICU beds available in Grundy County last week was 18.3%, down from 19.9% the previous week.

According to the CDC, the level of community transmission for all of Illinois, including Grundy County, is high. Therefore, the CDC recommends that unvaccinated and fully vaccinated people continue to wear a mask in public indoor settings. It is also recommended that unvaccinated and vulnerable people consider avoiding crowded outdoor gatherings, or mask while in crowded outdoor spaces.

Residents may visit the Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers webpage at morrishospital.org to learn the latest information about Morris Hospital hospitalizations, test positivity, testing locations and visiting guidelines.