(Statement from Whiteside County Health Dept.) – The Whiteside County and Region 1 entered Tier 1 Resurgence Mitigations on October 3rd due to rising positivity rates and an increase in cases and hospitalizations. Unable to turn the tide, Region 1 and Whiteside County became the first region to implement Tier 2 Resurgence Mitigation on October 25th. To everyone who is working diligently to protect those around them by masking, social distancing, limiting your contacts, supporting our local businesses safely, following Phase 4 Guidelines and Tier 2 Resurgence Mitigations and supports us by being honest and working with us after testing positive or being exposed, we offer our sincerest thanks.
Unfortunately, a number of individuals are not doing what they can to protect our community, first responders, healthcare systems, employers and schools. Instead they have chosen to disregard recommendations around masking, social distancing, staying home when sick, as well as Phase 4 Guidelines and Tier 2 Resurgence Mitigation . As a result we continue to see exposure and cases in our schools,workplaces, social gatherings and other locations in our community. These exposures and new cases continue to strain our local businesses, schools, first responders, EMS systems, Long Term Care facilities and hospitals causing them to deal with increased cases as they work to prepare for influenza season, all while dealing with staffing shortages due to employees becoming ill or having to quarantine after an exposure.
This press release is being issued due to an exposure that took place the night of October 31st. Public releases typically do not need to be issued if individuals and businesses have followed CDC, IDPH DCEO and local health department guidelines. We encourage all individuals, organizations and businesses to review guidelines to help ensure the safest environment for all of our residents, and prevent the need for public notifications.
Potential Exposures: Hero’s Bar & Grill – Morrison IL – After 10:00 pm.
- Symptomatic individual, who later tested positive, reported visiting the night of October 31st duringtheir infectious period.
Whiteside County is seeing the highest COVID-19 burden this year with no indication of improvement. Every Interaction Carries Risk , however, if you are going to a location where Phase 4 and Resurgence Mitigation guidelines are not being followed, whether it is your place of employment, friend’s house, bar or restaurant, wedding, funeral, or other social event, you are putting yourself, your family, our kids in-person education, our local businesses, our first responders, EMS, healthcare systems and our most vulnerable at greater risk.
Please help support our community by:
- Masking
- Social Distancing
- Staying Home When Sick
- Limiting Your Close Contacts until the Situation Improves
- Following Tier 2 Resurgence Mitigation and Phase 4 Guidelines
