Lake County Now Under CDC, State Indoor Mask Recommendation

Lake County is now under the state’s recommendation that all people wear masks indoors after the CDC on Saturday classified the county as having “substantial” transmission of COVID-19.

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced Tuesday afternoon that it “fully embraces” the latest masking recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC announced Tuesday morning that everyone, including fully vaccinated people, should wear a mask in indoor public places in areas with “substantial” and “high” transmission.

Areas of “substantial” transmission are considered by the CDC to be those with 50 to 99 cases per 100,000 people over a seven-day period.

Areas of “high” transmission are considered to have more than 100 cases per 100,000 people over a seven-day period.

CDC’s COVID-19 County Integrated View on Saturday dashboard shifted Lake County from “moderate” to “substantial” transmission after the county exceeded 50 cases per 100,000 population in its seven-day average.

“We strongly recommend that everyone follow the CDC’s recommendations and take the necessary precautions to stay protected against COVID-19 and its variants,” said Dr. Sana Ahmed, medical epidemiologist at the Lake County Health Department.

“A combination of vaccinations and prevention strategies is our best chance to end the COVID-19 pandemic,” Ahmed said.

The CDC also recommends universal interior masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of their immunization status.

“As data continues to show the effectiveness of the three COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized in the United States, including against the Delta variant, we are still seeing the virus spreading rapidly among the unvaccinated,” said the director of IDPH, Dr Ngozi Ezike.

“COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations both continue to rise, predominantly among the unvaccinated, but the risk is greater for everyone if we do not stop the continued spread of the virus and the Delta variant. . We know that masking can help prevent the transmission of COVID-19 and its variants, ”Ezike said.

Ezike added that the state will follow the CDC’s latest mask recommendations until more people are vaccinated.

According to the CDC, the data shows that the Delta variant is much more contagious, the IDPH said. “Delta spreads more than twice as easily from person to person compared to other strains.”

According to the CDC, the Delta variant is the cause of some vaccine-disrupting infections that cause mild symptoms. The vaccines prevent serious illness, hospitalizations and death, the state said.