Due to our HIGH transmission status, it is recommended that everyone, despite vaccination, should wear a mask when indoors. Numbers between Saturday and Sunday were not reported, so rate maintained.
General Updates
This morning 4 of our hospital EDs in region 6 were at Peak Census. Peak Census means the hospital is operating at capacity. A transition to bypass status is likely but not certain.
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a Heat Advisory for counties in North West, North Central, Central, and Southern Illinois for today August 24th through August 26th, 2021. Heat index temperatures up to 110°F are possible in some locations of the state and are expected to occur each afternoon during the advisory. Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses to occur.
If you are hosting vaccination clinics/POD’s outdoors, you should consider:
- Moving operations indoors into a climate-controlled structure, is possible.
- If moving indoors is not possible, ensure the site is in a shaded area with access to fans, air-conditioned tents, cold drinking water and/or other cooling mitigations, such as persons waiting in their vehicles with the air-conditioning turned on, if safe to do so.
- Ensure young children and pets are not left in parked vehicles.
- Management should takes steps to ensure personnel stay hydrated by drinking water.
Be sure to check your local forecast and advisory’s.
For more information from the National Weather Service on the advisory, see the link below: https://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=ilx&wwa=heat%20advisory
For more information on what the heat index is, see the link below:
https://www.weather.gov/ama/heatindex
Testing Updates
- Shield Saliva COVID19 Testing will be at the Health Department EVERY Wednesday
- Time: 11am-3pm (Appointments are recommended, but not required – you can make an appointment by clicking on the link and registering: You do need a text number and an email address to receive your results. https://shieldilportal.pointnclick.com/login_login.aspx
- To register, you will need the Agency Code: df5brbrj
- Testing is FREE and is a PCR test
- They are no longer requesting that you cannot eat or drink prior to getting tested.
Testing is still available throughout the county: You can still get testing through Carle (call for an appointment), OSF Urgo, CVS (must set an appointment up online), Walgreens (must set an appointment up online).
Vaccine Updates
Check our website for upcoming COVID19 Vaccination Clinics at the Vermilion County Health Department: www.vchd.org
We are not currently able to do any agency onsite clinics due to limited staff availability. If you would like to set up an on-site clinic at your location, IEMA can bring in a mobile team. They have come to multiple agencies already here in Vermilion County. Here is the contact information or you can fill out a Vaccine Clinic Application: http://www.dph.illinois.gov/covid19/vaccinationclinics
- There are also plenty of locations that are offering vaccines currently including our local hospitals (OSF, Carle, and the VA), pharmacies, Aunt Martha’s, and some private providers. You may need to make an appointment first before going.
Regional Metrics (as of August 24rd, 2021)
For updates to vaccine numbers and regional metrics, please visit http://www.dph.illinois.gov/covid19/vaccinedata?county=Vermilion or http://www.dph.illinois.gov/regionmetrics?regionID=6. The state updates these numbers at noon on Mondays-Fridays.
Region 6 – 8.3% positivity rate (7 day rolling average)
Vermilion County – 11.6% positivity rate (7 day rolling average)
Vermilion County – 10.9% daily positivity rate on 8/21/2021
Region 6 ICU availability – 22%
Region 6 Patient increases – 8 out of the last 10 days
