McLean County COVID-19 Update: 11-19-2022 to 12-2-2022

McLean County Health Department (MCHD) is reporting 513 new cases of COVID-19 from 11/18/22 through 12/01/22, bringing our total of probable and confirmed cases to 61,808.

The weekly age breakdown for all cases added to the total for the past two weeks is as follows:

COVID-related deaths are not reported out on the same day they occur. It may take days or even weeks to receive an official death certificate and cause of death. There have been 408 COVID-related deaths reported in McLean County. This includes four additional COVID-19 deaths: 3 females (2 in their 60s, and 1 in her 80s); and 1 male (in his 70s). None are associated with long-term care.

McLean County is at Medium COVID-19 Community Level. In areas where the Community Level is Medium the CDC strongly recommends that those individuals at highest risk or who have high risk persons in their household should consider wearing masks in indoor public places.

It’s also important to remember the following precautions, especially if you are at a high risk for serious illness:

• If you are immunocompromised or high risk for severe disease:
  1. Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to wear a mask and take other precautions (e.g., testing).
  2. Have a plan for rapid testing if needed (e.g., having home tests or access to testing).
  3. Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you are a candidate for treatments like oral antivirals, PrEP, and monoclonal antibodies.
• If you have household or social contact with someone at high risk for severe disease:
  1. consider self-testing to detect infection before contact.
  2. consider wearing a mask when indoors with them.
• Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters.
• Maintain improved ventilation throughout indoor spaces when possible.
• Follow CDC recommendations for isolation and quarantine, including getting tested if you are exposed to COVID-19 or have symptoms of COVID-19.

Older adults and those who immunocompromised are at highest risk of getting very sick from COVID-19. A person’s risk of severe illness from COVID-19 increases as the number of underlying medical conditions they have increases. Regardless of Community Level, the CDC strongly recommends that those individuals at highest risk or who have high risk persons in their household should consider wearing a mask in indoor public places.

This week the CDC reported that McLean County saw 11.1 new hospital admissions of COVID-19 per 100,000 people in the seven days ending on 11/29/22. McLean County also reported 141.68 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people in the 7 days ending on 11/30/22 per the CDC. The provisional, 7-day positivity rate through 11/28/2022 is 14.70%.

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) provides updated weekly COVID-19 vaccine administration data at https://dph.illinois.gov/covid19/vaccine/vaccine-data?county=Illinois. Data, including county-specific details, are updated after 1:00pm.

Newly Approved Bivalent Booster Available at MCHD

MCHD continues to offer COVID-19 vaccines by appointment for all age categories, including the COVID-19 bivalent vaccine. Eligible persons must have had a primary series of the COVID-19 vaccine and have had two months pass since any additional COVID-19 vaccination. To schedule any COVID-19 vaccine, including boosters, at MCHD call:

• Adult Immunizations (309) 888-5435
• Child Immunizations (309) 888-5455

To find other locations offering COVID-19 vaccines and boosters near you visit https://www.vacines.gov

COVID-19 PCR Testing: 

MCHD offers COVID-19 (PCR) testing five days per week (with some exceptions surrounding county holidays) inside the McLean County Health Department building, 200 W. Front Street in downtown Bloomington, Room 400E. Two types of PCR testing are available by walk-in: nasal-swab testing (ages 5 and over) and SHIELD saliva-based testing (all ages).

Next week’s testing schedule:

• Monday, 12/05 from 11am-1pm
• Tuesday, 12/06 from 11am-1pm
• Wednesday, 12/07 from 11am-1pm
• Thursday, 12/08 from 11am-1pm
• Friday, 12/09 from 11am-1pm

For more information visit https://health.mcleancountyil.gov/735/COVID-19-Local-Testing-Options

At-Home COVID-19 Tests:

Project ACT (Access to COVID Tests) offers free, rapid, at-home COVID-19 test kits to residents of eligible communities while supplies last. Go online and enter your zip code to see if tests are available in your area: https://accesscovidtests.org/

If you have previously order free at-home tests from COVID.gov, please note that the FDA has extended the expiration dates on the iHealth COVID-19 Antigen Rapit Tests. You may check the new expiration date by lot number on the box by clicking the link at the top of this web page: https://accesscovidtests.org/