Mercer County Health Dept. Asking For Support In COVID-19 Resurgence Mitigations

The Mercer County Health Department urges collaborative action on COVID19 Resurgence Mitigations in Region 2. Some of the mitigations include suspended inside restaurant dining and bar service and a reduction of gathering capacity to 25 guests or 25 percent of the room capacity. All mitigation requirements can be found at https://dceocovid19resources.com/assets/Restore-Illinois/COVID-19-Resurgence-Migitations.pdf.

MCHD has been monitoring and reporting the rising COVID-19 activity locally and regionally with the increase of COVID-19-related cases and positivity rates.

“The numbers in our region have been trending poorly for some time and we must continue to take this virus seriously. We would like to thank all businesses and residents who are doing their part to keep the citizens of Mercer County safe and healthy. By working together, we can get our numbers back on track and avoid further mitigations. Although some people may be tired of COVID-19, this is not the time to be complacent. The decisions we make today directly influence what happens in our communities in the weeks to come,” said Carla Ewing, Mercer County Health Department Administrator.

Ewing additionally states, “As of October 31, 2020, Mercer County’s daily positivity rate was at 25.0% with a 7-day rolling average of 14.9% and makes our county one of the top contributors for region 2 moving into resurgence mitigation. Unfortunately, the number of positives and close contacts we have seen in the past week will only continue to add to the problem.”

The MCHD plans to continue to increase testing opportunities to hopefully catch cases and close contacts to reduce the potential for spread. The regional covid metrics can be found at http://www.dph.illinois.gov/regionmetrics?regionID=2 .

To support our County and the Region in slowing the spread of this virus, MCHD continues to implore residents to follow the effective public health tools available:

  • Wear a mask whenever outside your home or around people not from your household
  • Watch your distance, staying at least 6 feet from people outside of your immediate household
  • Wash your hands or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer often
  • Avoid large gatherings, especially indoors
  • Stay home if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, or if you have been in close contact with a person infected with COVID-19; consult with your healthcare provider for medical evaluation and testing, as needed
  • Get your flu shot, to prevent illness from influenza and to prevent possible co-infection from influenza and COVID-19.

The Health Department responds to all COVID-19 complaints we receive. We notify and educate the facility of the appropriate mitigation or safety precautions to take to help slow the spread of COVID-19. If the complaint is founded and continues to occur with no compliance efforts, we will refer and work with local city authorities, the State’s Attorney Office, the Illinois Department of Public Health, and the Illinois State Police.