All Sauk Valley counties at low risk for COVID-19

The Whiteside County Health Department mobile unit was making its trial run, said the department's Cheryl Lee, on Friday, July 9, 2021, at the Rock Falls High School parking lot. The vaccination clinic was timed to provide the Pfizer vaccine to students ages 12 and older so they would be able to get a second dose in three weeks in time for the start of school in August. The Illinois Department of Public Health said on Friday it would adhere to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for schools.

Whiteside, Lee, Ogle and Carroll counties are all at low risk for community coronavirus spread, and cases are decreasing across the region.

Whiteside County had 47 cases during the past seven days, according to the most recent information available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 data tracker Monday. There were 90 cases the week before.

The positivity rate for the last seven days is at 3.97% from 6.64%, and the case rate is 85.18 per 100,000 people. There were five new hospitalizations.

The Whiteside County Health Department is offering the updated bivalent COVID-19 booster shots.

Lee County had 44 cases, compared with 52 cases the week prior and is at a 4.75% positivity rate, from 5.9%. The case rate is 129.05 per 100,000 people, and there were three new hospitalizations.

Ogle County had 54 cases across the week compared with 71, with a positivity rate of 9.07%, from 7.67%. The case rate is 106.63 per 100,000 people, and there were five new hospitalizations.

Carroll County reported 17 cases, compared with 30 the previous week, and a positivity rate of 15.25%, from 21.43%.

In high transmission areas, residents should wear a mask while in public indoor settings regardless of vaccination status, avoid crowded indoor settings and stay up to date on COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, according to the CDC.

The CDC recommends wearing a mask indoors to protect those at high risk for severe illness from a COVID-19 infection including adults older than 50, those with underlying medical conditions and the immunocompromised; socializing outdoors if possible and avoiding poorly ventilated indoor settings; getting tested before attending a family or public event; contacting your doctor to get treatment for COVID-19 if you are diagnosed and getting any COVID-19 vaccine boosters that you are eligible for.

Rachel Rodgers

Rachel Rodgers

Rachel Rodgers joined Sauk Valley Media in 2016 covering local government in Dixon and Lee County.